Aaron Cruden happy to quit All Blacks to build new life in France

Aaron Cruden and Sonny Bill Williams after their win against the Lions in the 1st test. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Backed by scaffolding billionaire Mohed Altrad, Montpellier are prone to making bold statements as they flex their financial muscle in a bid to become French and European champions.

This summer, Altrad raised the bar again. As well as laying out a reported £1 million transfer fee to bring Louis Picamoles home from Northampton, the arrival of world-class first-five eighth Aaron Cruden from New Zealand felt like the final piece of the puzzle.

The 28-year-old and his wife, Grace, have swapped a Waikato winter for the sunshine of the south of France, joining Montpellier's cosmopolitan squad where the foreigners outnumber the Frenchmen. They include nine South Africans.

Having spent his career eyed up as tackling practice by Bismarck du Plessis and company, Cruden now gets to sit behind Montpellier's gargantuan pack and watch them go to work, with the club top of the table after three wins from three.

Cruden had offers to go elsewhere, including from Northampton Saints and big-spending Bristol, but the package on offer at Montpellier was an alluring one, even if it meant a step into the unknown.

Cruden told The Sunday Telegraph. "In terms of the location, we certainly got excited. What a place to be able to live for a few years. I always knew I wanted to play overseas at some point. I didn't know whether that would be in Japan or the UK or Europe. This opportunity in the south of France came up and it is pretty special.

"They certainly do things a little bit differently but my wife and I were excited by that, putting ourselves out of our comfort zone on a personal level. Having to learn a language at 28-years-old and seeing how that goes, it's all part of what life is about.

"We always know New Zealand is home and that we'll go back there. But the world is such a big place with wonderful things on offer that it would be a shame to not take the opportunity to experience a few of those."

Cruden's time in Europe at the end of last year was extended by a couple of days after the All Blacks' final match of 2016 against France, with a visit to Montpellier where Altrad showed them around the town and the club.

Cruden, who has won two Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs, could have re-signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union, but was sold on not just on Montpellier's location but by their ambition to lift trophies under new head coach Vern Cotter.

"Mohed [Altrad] is extremely ambitious as an owner, but also talking to Vern Cotter as a coach he really wants to deliver. He wants to get out there and play an exciting brand of footy, although ultimately he knows you are judged on your performances.

"Talking to both of them made me excited to get here. This is a relatively young club that has not been around for a long time, but one which is hungry for success."

Cruden's 50th and for now final cap for the All Blacks came in the drawn third Test against the British and Irish Lions. A replacement for the 24th time, he has been unlucky to play in the same era as first Dan Carter and now Beauden Barrett.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup final looked certain to be his stage with Carter ruled out, only for Cruden to hyper-extend his knee and make way for Stephen Donald. And the same knee required reconstruction surgery four years later, meaning Cruden missed out on New Zealand's 2015 title.

Although the next Rugby World Cup is only two years away, Cruden knew it was time to move on. Because the All Blacks have a ban on selecting overseas players, he knew then he was calling time on his international career.

"For me the timing just felt right. I would have known deep down if there was a massive motivation to stick around to try and achieve another Rugby World Cup.

"As a player you know what is best for you. Looking back I was lucky. I ended up with 50 caps for the All Blacks and if you had asked me ten years ago how many I thought I might achieve, I would have happily said one or two, just to pull on that jersey."

Now he is looking forward to a reunion with Carter when Montpellier face Racing 92 later this season. Before that the Top 14 leaders welcome Toulon to the Altrad Stadium on Sunday with Cruden fit and raring to go. "It will be a cracker," he says.