Cruden escapes further sanction
New Zealand chiefs said that All Black flyhalf Aaron Cruden had 'paid his dues', after going out on a booze binge and missing the team's flight to Argentina last month.
Cruden was dropped for the team's last two Rugby Championship Tests – against Argentina and South Africa – over the incident.
He was left stranded in Auckland after a night out drinking as his teammates jetted off to face Los Pumas in La Plata.
New Zealand Rugby Union General Manager Rugby Neil Sorensen met with Cruden and his management in Taupo this week.
The NZRU said a disciplinary process had found the 25-year-old was genuinely contrite, ruling that missing last week's Argentina fixture and this Saturday's clash against the Springboks was sufficient, and "no further sanction will apply".
Cruden, who has already publicly apologised for the incident, acknowledged that his actions had been contrary to the best interests of New Zealand Rugby.
Sorensen said while New Zealand Rugby did not condone his actions, he acknowledged that Cruden had already been dealt a significant sanction by being suspended from the All Blacks for the two Test matches against the Pumas and Springboks.
"I am heartened by the fact Aaron has taken full responsibility for his actions which resulted in this regrettable incident," Sorensen said.
"Aaron has had to suffer the shame in a very public manner and that in itself is something most people don't have to go through.
"Having considered all the factors and Aaron's response when we met, we have determined that no further sanction will apply." he added.
He said Cruden, who has earned 35 Test caps since his debut in 2010, would be eligible for New Zealand's match against Australia in Brisbane on October 18.
An embarrassed Cruden, who has established himself as the All Blacks first choice flyhalf in the absence of the injured Dan Carter, said after his suspension that he had "made a poor decision regarding the limits of my alcohol intake".
All parties have agreed that no further comment will be made on this matter.
