Rugby: Wizardry on park down to pivot's enjoyment

Aaron Cruden's beginner's book (Random House NZ, RRP $34.99) has hit the bookshop shelves.

When things aren't going too smoothly on the rugby field Aaron Cruden will be the first to attest to the need to return to the basics.

For the record, the All Black first five-eighth yesterday officially released a book, The Beginner's Guide to Rugby, where he highlights his transition from a skilful junior to professionalism, to aspiring players of all ages.

But the overriding factor for Cruden, whenever he runs on to the field, is not losing sight of enjoyment.

"When I pick up the ball it's for an enjoyable experience and it's something I've been doing when I was young and still do every time," the 26-year-old Chiefs pivot said yesterday via a phone interview, impressing that even if the book influenced one child he would have achieved his goal.

While the book is a step-by-step gem for those who want to emulate his agility and guile, the foreword from Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, through to the ensuing three chapters, offer a delightful glimpse of a man who won his battle over testicular cancer and someone who humbly acknowledges the worth of his family in reaching the pinnacle of the country's No1 sport.

Cruden said all elite rugby players came under pressure and scrutiny when things deviated from the script on the park but they had a tendency to focus on what they could control.

Last month some scribes put his kicking prowess and mental fortitude under the microscope after the Chiefs' loss to the Highlanders in Hamilton, amid suggestions he might not only lose his All Blacks starting berth to Colin Slade but slide down the pecking order behind No2 Beauden Barrett, amid ABs selectors' efforts to find a successor to an injury-prone Daniel Carter before the Rugby World Cup in England this year.

"You can't be too worried or focused on the All Blacks selections ... I'm just playing well for the Chiefs ... ," he said, mindful the two losses for the Chiefs had been "tough" but the coaches had been working hard on ironing out issues at training and it was up to individuals to put their hands up.

"When you lose it's extremely disappointing but you take those learnings and apply them into your trainings and [execute] them in the following games."

The Chiefs, the Manawatu Turbos player said, never like losing amid high standards.

The propensity for Kiwis to fit comfortably into the collective, probably sets them apart from players in the rest of the world.

Not shy to implement radical and exciting passages of play, Cruden appreciated that coaches reserved the right to have a word when his "skills and tricks" didn't come off exactly as anticipated.

"At other times I back my instincts and it is the right call," he said, comfortable in the knowledge that, more often than not, he was capable of pulling something out of the bag to the delight of his coaches.

While not "living in the land of giants", the pint-sized player didn't see himself as a model for the smaller players but he had isolated skills and often played to those strengths.

His father, Stu Cruden, was "extremely influential" in his career. The senior Cruden is in Australia but Aaron said he was contemplating returning to settle in Hawke's Bay soon.

His parents split up when he was young but mother Missy also went through hardship to raise him and brothers Kurt and Jarrad.