Ben Guild: Cruden slipped at the wrong time

Aaron Cruden's big night out, which included a stop at the Zookeeper's Son Gastropub in Mt Albert, could prove costly. Photo / Supplied

Until last week, Chiefs and All Blacks first five-eighth Aaron Cruden had made a career out of being in the right place at the right time.

Whether it was drifting outside his marker or nipping down the blindside, or coming of age alongside Aaron Smith in a Manawatu side, or rising to prominence inside the greatest midfield combination in All Blacks history, or making a serious run at Daniel Carter's number 10 jersey, he always seemed to have the talent for being timely.

As we all know, recently he wasn't, missing check-in for the flight to Argentina and losing the All Blacks' No10 jersey to Beauden Barrett for test matches against Argentina and South Africa.

The debates it sparked were varied and revealed much about the state of both the All Blacks and New Zealand.

From a rugby perspective, it is not that big of a deal for anyone other than Aaron Cruden.

Such has been the All Blacks' depth and dominance in recent times, the team will probably not miss a beat.

Secretly, coach Steve Hansen would have been excited to see how Barrett developed on a tough tour and will have wondered what his speed and general field kicking could do to his side's attack.

Barrett's inclusion certainly has not hurt the side in two tests this year against Argentina - both won comfortably by the All Blacks.

The goalkicking is a slight concern, but that is also sometimes true of Cruden, and Daniel Carter for that matter.

The perception of all three players varies wildly between claims they are the top pivot in world rugby to assertions that each is worse than the other two.

That's where Cruden's problem may lie. The All Blacks coaches adore his game, but a significant shift in the Super Rugby landscape next season could mean he is not in the right place when the music stops in the lead-up to next year's Rugby World Cup.

He is getting Sonny Bill Williams back at the Chiefs, which will help, but it is not as if his two main rivals will not be playing in favourable circumstances.

Ma'a Nonu's return to the Hurricanes will boost a side that, on paper, look scary. Surnames on the rise such as Perenara, Coles, Thrush, Savea (twice) and Shields, established All Blacks in Cory Jane and Conrad Smith and the addition of free-market player x and/or y mean Barrett is perfectly positioned to put up his hand.

Daniel Carter, of course, will be playing behind the bulk of the All Blacks pack for the Crusaders.

Cruden is good, but so are the other two, and if he wants any proof of how precarious the position he has put himself in he should look no further than Zac Guildford.

Before Guildford's off-field mishaps, his workrate and speed had made him one of the first-choice All Blacks wings. His various slip-ups hurt his chances, and suddenly Ben Smith, Julian Savea, Cory Jane and Frank Halai were among those homing in.

Cruden has left the door open and Barrett doesn't mind a gap.