Rugby: Cruden at start of long-haul bid to play at Twickenham

Aaron Cruden. Photo / Getty Images

A year that Aaron Cruden hopes will culminate at Twickenham in London kicks off tonight in the slightly less glamorous surrounds of Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth.

Cruden is about to embark on the biggest season of his young career - first a date with the Brumbies as the Chiefs set about reclaiming the Super Rugby title, then an appointment in England when the All Blacks will attempt to retain the World Cup trophy.

The latter has already impacted the former, with the first five beginning his campaign a week late after missing the Chiefs' opening victory over the Blues. And the World Cup will continue to loom large over Cruden's year, both in the games he sits out and, more significantly, in the games he plays.

In the final months of 2014, Cruden saw his grip on the All Blacks No10 jersey begin to slip. What was once a clear picture - first choice when Dan Carter was unavailable through injury - became increasingly murky.

A late night, a missed flight, an opportunity grasped by one rival and the re-emergence of another ... suddenly Cruden's place in the squad, let alone the starting XV, was in doubt.

He started only once on the All Blacks' European tour, but of equal concern were the weeks when the Chiefs pivot was left out altogether. The combined starting spark of Beauden Barrett and versatility of Colin Slade proved too tough an obstacle for Cruden to overcome, especially while also battling a perception he was unsuitable as an impact substitute.

There is truth, Cruden admits, to that perception, which means if his campaign is to conclude at Twickenham on Halloween night, it may need to be while wearing the No10 jersey. Which in turn means his Super Rugby form, beginning tonight against the Brumbies, must be exemplary.

"It is a little bit different," Cruden said of the duelling objective in 2015.

"You'd be naive to think it's not a different year, obviously with the big cup coming later in the year. But for us, first and foremost, we've got to concentrate on Super Rugby.

"I guess there's always pressure - you always want to perform well. For me, I just want to get back to what I know, get back to playing rugby and enjoying being out there in the middle."

That enjoyment is felt in far greater doses when Cruden is running out with his teammates from the start, rather than biding his time on the bench. His game is guided by a level head, getting a feel for the opposition's strengths and weaknesses, gaining an upper hand over time, as opposed to flipping a switch in the second half and changing the course of a match already headed for its final destination.

"That's just my personality - I love to start," he said. "Always when you're up for selection, I know for me I want to be starting and be out there. Sometimes it's tricky and a little bit difficult coming off the bench, just getting a gauge of how the game's going."

Cruden will have to cope with some time on the sidelines this season, whether he likes it or not. The 26-year-old has already had one of his mandatory stand-down weeks, with another couple to follow later in the year.

Having missed six starts in the last Super Rugby season due to a thumb injury, Cruden would be forgiven for treating the imposed rest as something of a nuisance, but he preferred to see the big picture of such an approach.

"I think if you can look at it in a positive light - that it's an opportunity, whenever it comes, to have a week off and recharge the batteries - it's crucial," he said.

The first opportunity arrives tonight in Taranaki, with Cruden coming in cold after sitting out the pre-season programme. Instead of the usual diet of a half or two in the odd trial match, Cruden joined camp late, first enjoying a beneficial break from the game and spending time with friends and family before heading back to see his second family in Ruakura.

"I'm feeling good," Cruden said. "I had a really good break over the summer and just made sure I was smart with my training and what I did with my body. So I'm really keen, eager, feeling good and feeling fresh, and hopefully I can add a bit of impact on the field."

The Chiefs will need that impact against the side that last year ended their hopes for a hat-trick of Super Rugby titles. The Brumbies were big winners over the Reds in week one but, with Cruden, Liam Messam and Brodie Retallick set for their first appearances, Dave Rennie's men have received a vital injection of experience.

None of those All Blacks was needed to beat the Blues, though, and Cruden, while running the water, liked the look of a group that included five debutants in the starting XV.

"The competition for places is strong and I think that's what you need to hopefully go all the way in this competition."

That result would see objective one ticked off and aid in objective two: starting a second World Cup final.