Fears over the extent of Aaron Cruden's knee injury have been allayed.
The All Blacks first-five limped off in the first half of the World Cup final and was in crutches when he collected his winners' medal.
But Chiefs coach Dave Rennie says Cruden will be back at full fitness before the start of next year's Super Rugby season.
Rennie says Cruden hasn't torn anything, but has stretched all the ligaments in the back of his knee and has a compression fracture on his knee cap.
Rennie still has a spot open in his Super Rugby squad for Sonny Bill Williams, but is none the wiser as to the All Blacks' midfield back's plans for 2012.
