Starting gap opens up for Barrett

Beauden Barrett will be looking to make a statement in Aaron Cruden's absence in test matches against Argentina and South Africa. PHOTO / GLENN TAYLOR

Up until last weekend, 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 sneaky stacked 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 on form inside Richard Kahui and Sonny Bill Williams at the Chiefs, he always seemed to have the talent for being timely.

As we all know by now, last weekend he wasn't; missing check-in for the flight to Argentina and losing the All Blacks number 10 jersey to Beauden Barrett for test matches against Argentina and South Africa.

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

From a rugby perspective, it is essentially 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 likely not miss a beat.

Secretly, coach Steve Hansen will be excited to see how Barrett develops on a tough tour and will wonder what his speed and general field kicking could do to his side's attack.

The goal kicking 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, is scary. Surnames on the rise like 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, on the other hand, will be playing behind the bulk of the All Blacks forward 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 precedents set by Doug Bracewell and Zac Guildford.

Before Guildford's mishaps his work rate, size and speed had made him one of the first choice All Blacks wings.

His various slip ups hurt his chances, and then all of a sudden guys like Ben Smith, Julian Savea, Cory Jane, Frank Halai and even the pesky Barrett were among those moving into position to usurp him.

Bracewell was part of a promising young Black Caps pace bowling unit that was tipped by many to become one of the best in world cricket.

His indiscretions cost him his spot and the rest is history - Trent Boult and Tim Southee have become one of the finest new ball bowling partnerships in the world and the fast bowling stocks are suddenly stacked, with Mitchell McClenaghan, Corey Anderson, Adam Milne, James Neesham and many more fighting for the other seamer's spots.

Cruden has more class than those two, but not relative to his opposition.

The door is open for Barrett. He doesn't mind a gap.