Rugby-All Black Cruden could miss eight weeks with broken thumb

WELLINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) - New Zealand and Waikato Chiefs flyhalf Aaron Cruden faces a race to be fit for June's test series against England after breaking a thumb in Super Rugby action against the Cheetahs on Saturday. An X-ray following the 43-43 draw in Bloemfontein confirmed the 25-year-old had fractured his left thumb and would be sidelined for six to eight weeks, the Chiefs said on their website on Monday (www.chiefs.co.nz). The Chiefs co-captain was the leading candidate to succeed long-serving flyhalf Dan Carter, who will miss the three matches against England while taking a sabbatical from the game. Cruden's injury will boost Wellington Hurricanes pivot Beauden Barrett's chances of adding to his 16 test caps but is a blow to the Chiefs' hopes of completing a hat-trick of Super Rugby titles. Fullback Gareth Anscombe, a former flyhalf for the Auckland Blues, could don the number 10 shirt for the Chiefs, who head home to host the Melbourne Rebels in Hamilton on Saturday. The Chiefs lead the New Zealand conference of the southern hemisphere competition on 20 points, four clear of the Hurricanes and Blues as the season approaches the halfway mark. (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)