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A word of advice to the Wallabies faithful; don’t go celebrating Dan Carter’s absence just yet – the man who led the Chiefs to back to back Super Rugby championships awaits.
There is no doubting Carter’s experience and know-how on what it takes to beat the Wallabies is vital, but is he still the best 10 in New Zealand?
Chiefs flyhalf Aaron Cruden will almost certainly get the 10 jersey for this weekend’s first Bledisloe Cup Test and the statistics for the 2013 domestic season suggest it may not be as bad as first thought for the Kiwis.
Yes, flyhalf play is not all about the statistics produced but they can provide some key indicators as to how affective each touch a 10 gets really is.
Both Cruden and Carter bring different assets to the All Blacks and this was demonstrated through the Super Rugby season.
Carter has been the stronger of the two defensively over 2013, while Cruden has arguably provided the most spark of any flyhalf in the competition.
Cruden led the competition in linebreak assists with 15, finished fourth in offloads with 25, second in try creates with eight and averaged 11.4 metres per run over the 68 times he set off with ball in hand.
While these statistics are all in Cruden’s favour, it is Carter’s consistency and clear mind which has held him in good stead over the previous decade.
This is evident through his kicking – both in general play and off the tee – which is superior to Cruden, as well as his defensive workload.
Carter attempted nearly twice as many tackles (150) for two less misses than Cruden (24), kicked at 87% off the tee compared to Cruden’s 68% and averaged 7.1 metres more per kick than Cruden with 42.1.
A combination of both would provide the perfect flyhalf and All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen will have a selection nightmare ahead of him when Carter returns.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.