Wellington - If All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden had a thumping headache on the morning he missed his flight to Argentina, it might be set for a prolonged return if his rival Beauden Barrett dominates in the final two matches of the Rugby Championship.
Missing a flight after a big night out may be dismissed as a silly act by an average 25-year-old.
That an All Blacks player might give up his spot in the most competitive team in world rugby to a player of Barrett's calibre is something else altogether.
“I don't think this will count against him (Cruden) long term,” former All Blacks' flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens wrote in his column for Fairfax Media.
“What he's done the last three or four years far overshadows one bad judgment. But there are consequences and they are immediate consequences.
“The upshot is he has given another guy a chance. They do say sometimes it's harder to get out of the All Blacks than it is to get in, and giving Barrett two starts means if he does deliver it's going to be pretty hard not to pick him afterwards.
“That's the danger Cruden now faces.”
Cruden started in six of the All Blacks' seven tests this year, burnishing his standing as Daniel Carter's first stand-in man come next year's World Cup in England.
But Barrett, who many New Zealand pundits rate a more versatile prospect, did little wrong in his one start against Argentina, barring a wayward kicking game.
“He's an outstanding starter for the Hurricanes and has done that very well,” All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster told New Zealand media in Argentina, referring to Beauden's role in the Wellington Super Rugby side.
“It's not a major thing for Beauden. The issue is he hasn't had a lot of opportunity to start for us - just once in fact. In that he got more than a pass mark from us.”
Though Cruden has battled and beaten cancer, in rugby he has led a charmed life enjoyed by few other elite players.
He was initially ignored in Graham Henry's squad for the 2011 World Cup on home soil but made the most of it and he was pictured drinking beer in the stands at pool matches.
He was all set to head to Disneyland for the latter part of the tournament but was rushed into the squad when injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade opened the door.
He grabbed his chance with both hands, playing well in the knockout rounds and finished the tournament with a World Cup medal draped around his neck, despite limping off injured before halftime in the final against France.
Coach Steve Hansen said Cruden would rejoin the team in Brisbane for the final Bledisloe Cup match against Australia next month, meaning he will play no part in New Zealand's final push to retain their Rugby Championship trophy.
With Carter considered a lock as New Zealand's starting flyhalf if fit, he might also see his stocks plummet to third in the pecking order of All Blacks flyhalves behind Barrett.
Hansen also has an opportunity to take another look at Slade, who is likely to come off the bench behind Barrett for the final two Rugby Championship clashes.
Senior All Blacks on tour murmured the usual platitudes about being “disappointed” in Cruden and that the act was “out of character”.
Barrett licked his lips at the prospect of favourable weather for Saturday's match against the Pumas in La Plata after the damp conditions he had to negotiate when starting against them in Napier earlier this month.
“Potentially it's a great opportunity for me,” Barrett told New Zealand media at a sponsor's event.
“Hopefully with the weather like it is at the moment we can expect this and play an expansive game.”
Cruden never boarded his flight to Disneyland at the 2011 World Cup.
He might yearn for a ticket to another far-flung destination if forced to watch his team mates from the terraces in the World Cup final at Twickenham next year.
Reuters