New Zealand first five Aaron Cruden has been cleared of a serious neck injury after he was stretchered off in the All Blacks 36-22 victory over Wales in Wellington.
Cruden was taken to hospital in Wellington after he went off in the opening half following a tackle from Wales’s Luke Charteris.
All Black coach Steve Hansen said after the match that he had spoken to the team doctor and been given positive feedback.
“The doc’s been in touch and it sounds like he’s going to be OK,” said Hansen.
“They’re doing a few precautionary things but the word is he’s going to be good.”
Cruden was taken to hospital for Tests due to what happened in the tackle according to Hansen.
“When he got tackled, Luke Charteris – by accident, not deliberately – ended up catching him and bending his neck over as he came over the top,” he said.
“So there was a bit of a crack, but by all accounts from the hospital there’s nothing damaged, they’re pretty positive.”
Hansen also said that Malakai Fekitoa was taken off as a precaution but was not seriously injured.
Fekitoa went off for blood early in the match after a collision with Wales back Jamie Roberts and came back on but then missed the second half.
Hansen said that Fekitoa had cuts on his face that were bleeding heavily so they chose to take him off as a precaution.
