All Blacks confident, not cocky
New Zealand, chasing their 13th Southern Hemisphere championship title, are getting the rewards for their hard work.
This is the view of flyhalf Aaron Cruden, ahead of the All Blacks' Round Three Rugby Championship encounter with a fired-up Argentina in Napier on Saturday.
Speaking to rugby365 in a telephone interview from New Zealand, Cruden explained how the Kiwis turned their season around in dramatic fashion.
"Obviously a couple of weeks ago in Sydney we were disappointed with that result," the 25-year-old All Black pivot, who has 34 Test caps to his credit, said of a dour 12-all draw with the Wallabies in Round One.
"We worked hard the following week to get our game structures right and I think it was quite evident in the game at Eden Park," he said of the 51-20 win overAustralia in Auckland on August 23.
"It is always nice when things turned out the way it did [in Round Two] and we can be confident, but not cocky and arrogant.
"It is the right way to be going into the game against Argentina in Napier," he added.
Interview continues below the sound clip!
Speaking about his own game, and the improvement between the Tests in Sydney and Auckland, Cruden admitted he too took a long, hard look in the mirror.
"Having reviewed my game after [the 12-all drawn in] Sydney, I just wanted to be a lot more dominant in the way that I drove our team structures and our game around the park in Auckland and I think I was able to do that," he told rugby365.
"The forward pack was really outstanding for us and our tight five really fronted up and our loose forwards got through a mountain of work," he said of their powerful comeback in Auckland.
"So for us, as a backline, it was really good t get some quick, go-forward ball and to find gaps in the Australian defence.
"For me, as a No.10, being the director of the team, and I think I made great strides in that role from Sydney to Auckland."
His dramatic improvement in form has resulted in speculation that when All Black Dan Carter does eventually return from injury – following a leg fracture sustained in the Super Rugby Final between the Crusaders and Waratahs last month – the veteran flyhalf may be shifted to inside centre.
Carter is not expected back for another three weeks at least, but Cruden said he would enjoy playing alongside the New Zealand legend in a revised backline combination.
"I am not to sure what the coaches are thinking at this stage, but it would definitely a possibility and one I would love," the incumbent No.10 said, adding: "Dan [Carter] is such a world-class player and I would love the opportunity to play alongside him in the No.10 and No,12 combination.
"If the coaches were to think along those lines it would be fantastic to play alongside him.
"I would gain a lot from that experience."
By Jan de Koning
* This Aaron Cruden interview was brought to you courtesy of the AIG Rugby Safety Awards, a global campaign to tackle safety in rugby. Find out how you could win safety equipment for your club here: www.aig.com/saferugby
** Stay tuned for the rest of our interview with Aaron Cruden – when he talks about what are New Zealand expecting from Argentina in your next Rugby Championship game, the Argentinean forwards, the big rivalry between the All Blacks and Springboks, the beating the South African forwards took from the Pumas, , as well as flyhalf play and the various flyhalves and their roles in the Rugby Championship.
