Aaron Cruden marked his return to Super Rugby in style, leading the Chiefs to a come-from-behind victory over the Blues at Eden Park tonight.
Cruden, 31, returned to New Zealand after a wretched spell in France with Montpellier and started from the bench tonight.
However, with the Chiefs 19-5 down at halftime, coach Warren Gatland turned to his senior statesman, entering as a second half replacement for youngster Kaleb Trask.
From there, it was like Cruden had never left. The first-five left the Blues tied in knots with a series of clever kicks and incisive runs, playing a vital role in setting up a try to teammate Solomon Alaimalo.
To cap things off, Cruden even had the audacity to seal the victory with a cunning drop kick from right in front of the posts, condemning the Blues to a season opening defeat on their home turf.
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