12 Sep 2010

McCaw gives Cruden pass mark after tepid debut

5:53 pm on 12 September 2010

The All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has given Dan Carter's heir apparent Aaron Cruden a tentative pass mark after the come from behind 23-22 win over the Wallabies in the final tri-nations rugby test of the year in Sydney last night.

Cruden had a mixed bag of a performance in his first start in an All Blacks jersey with the playmaker's restarts and kicking in general play leaving a lot to be desired.

However the Hurricanes first five looked sharp on attack with several strong runs and was solid in defence.

The All Blacks had to fight back from 22-9 down in the final quarter and McCaw says the win was testament to the depth of their squad.