In-form playmaker Beauden Barrett is poised to make a rare All Blacks start in the third Test against Wales in Dunedin following the neck injury to Aaron Cruden.
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Cruden was injured when he was tackled by the biggest man on the park, Welsh lock Luke Charteris, who ended up catching him at a bad angle and accidentally bending his neck over, with the lock’s body weight on the diminutive Cruden’s neck.
Coach Steve Hansen will await another diagnosis later in the week before making a final decision about the No.10 jersey in Dunedin but Cruden is unlikely to be risked with the series wrapped up.
“New Zealand are clinical and those are the small margins that we need to be better at”, said Gatland.
Cruden was stretchered from the field in the first half of last night’s win in Wellington.
“He got the all clear from the hospital last night and he returned to the hotel to have dinner with the team afterwards”.
“We felt as a team we would get better the more time we spent together”.
“Beauden probably deserves to get the opportunity”.
The hosts clinched the series with a 36-22 success at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. He’s scheduled to join them on Monday, with second five-eighth Malakai Fekitoa the only other player in some doubt for Saturday. Seta Tamanivalu had two extended spells on the pitch as a result, without doing anything to suggest he’s the long-term option in midfield.
The only occasion in the past 18 months was against lowly Namibia at the World Cup.
“He’s a bit stiff and sore in the neck and we’ll monitor him over the next few days to see whether he is going to be right for next weekend, but the hospital is very happy with him”.
The form centre in Super Rugby, Charlie Ngatai, has not been available for the Wales Tests because of lingering concussion problems and Sonny Bill Williams is with the Sevens squad preparing for the Rio Olympics.
Ngatai’s condition is improving, Hansen said, but his reduced fitness due to no training made him un-selectable. He’s a pretty special player too.
“The courage to keep playing and not to give up is a huge tick”, said Gatland.
Openside flankers Sam Cane and Ardie Savea fall into that “done pretty well” bracket, as they look to occupy Richie McCaw’s old berth.
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The midfield is the one area where the All Blacks have looked unsettled against Wales after losing the seasoned Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu who retired from Test rugby after winning the World Cup previous year.
