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All Black Cruden cleared after neck scare

Wellington - New Zealand flyhalf Aaron Cruden was cleared of a serious neck injury after being stretchered off during the All Blacks' second Test win over Wales, coach Steve Hansen said Saturday.

Cruden was rushed to hospital for tests after a tackle from Wales's Luke Charteris in the first half of the game, which New Zealand won 36-22.

"The doc's been in touch and it sounds like he's going to be OK," Hansen said after the match.

"They're doing a few precautionary things but the word is he's going to be good."

He said the 39-Test pivot was feared a neck injury when he was tackled awkwardly.

"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 Malakai Fekitoa, who missed part of the first half and the entire second, was not seriously injured.

The coach said the player had facial cuts which were bleeding heavily, prompting a decision to take him off.

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