Inspirational Cruden secures NZ selection
Cancer survivor Aaron Cruden has been named in the New Zealand Under 20 side to contest the upcoming Junior World Championship.
Coach Dave Rennie has confirmed the selection of Cruden in his 26-strong squad for the June tournament in Japan.
It marks a brave, and inspirational, battle back to health and playing fitness after the rising Manawatu first-five was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year.
The talented Cruden was sidelined shortly after Manawatu's unsuccessful Ranfurly Shield challenge in August; having a testicle removed and then undergoing a lengthy treatment programme.
Winning selection in the New Zealand side was one of the driving forces during his road to recovery.
And it is something he has gunned for since being given the all-clear to return to training in November.
New Zealand were crowned inaugural champions at the first Junior World Championships held in Wales last year.
The Junior World Championships replaced the previous IRB Under 19 and Under 21 World Championship tournaments.
The naming of the squad follows a trial game in Palmerston North on Thursday.
The squad will stay in camp till Monday and re-assemble twice before their departure to Japan.
The 26-man squad includes current players from the Rebel Sport Super 14 and the Air New Zealand Cup, including Hurricanes player Zac Guildford and Blues player Winston Stanley.
Air New Zealand Cup players include Southland's Robbie Robinson, Manawatu team-mates Cruden and Ma'afu Fia, North Harbour's Nafi Tuitavake and Ken Pisi and Wellington's Buxton Popoali'i.
Stanley is the nephew of former All Black Joe Stanley, Tuitavake is a current member of the New Zealand Sevens squad and younger brother of current All Blacks and Blues player Anthony Tuitavake, while Ken Pisi's brother George and Tusi have played in the Rebel Sport Super 14.
Rennie said the squad had a huge amount of talent and he was excited to begin the road to the World Championship.
"I would like to congratulate all the players who have been selected in the squad for the Junior World Championships," he said.
"It's a thrilling time for these young men and their families and for many of them it will be the first time they pull on the black jersey so will be incredibly special."
Rennie said he and assistant coach Mark Anscombe were "extremely happy" with the team.
"This is an exciting group of players who are keen to make an impression on the world stage."
New Zealand's age-group teams have long been a springboard for many players into higher honours.
All Blacks who have played age-grade rugby in recent years include Jamie Mackintosh, Hikawera Elliot, Kieran Read and Alby Mathewson.
New Zealand Under 20 squad: Trent Boswell-Wakefield (Hawke's Bay), Hamish Cochrane (Tasman), Aaron Cruden (Manawatu), Elliot Dixon (Canterbury), Shahn Eru (Wellington), Daniel Faleafa (Auckland), Ma'afu Fia (Manawatu), Zac Guildford (Hawke's Bay), Bernie Hall (Canterbury), Willie Ioane (Manawatu), Brayden Mitchell (Southland), Brendon O'Connor (Canterbury), Ken Pisi (North Harbour), Buxton Popoali'i (Wellington), Leighton Price (Hawke's Bay), Robbie Robinson (Southland), Alex Ryan (Southland), Teddy Stanaway (Auckland), Winston Stanley (Auckland), Latu Talakai (Waikato), Shae Tamati (Hawke's Bay), Tom Taylor (Canterbury), Shaun Treeby (Wellington), Gauefa Tuigamala (North Harbour), Nafi Tuitavake (North Harbour), Frae Wilson (Wellington).
