All Black Cruden dropped for drinking, missed flight

23 September 2014 06:26 am

All Black pivot Aaron Cruden has been suspended for two Rugby Championship matches after going out drinking and missing the New Zealanders' flight to Argentina, coach Steve Hansen said Monday.

Hansen said Cruden, who has been New Zealand's first-choice fly-half in the absence of the injured Daniel Carter, would not play against Argentina in La Plata on Saturday or South Africa in Johannesburg a week later.

He said Cruden, 25, went out drinking late in Auckland on Saturday night and didn't make the flight to Argentina.