All Blacks first five-eighth Aaron Cruden is off to France at the end of the year.

OPINION: The All Blacks and New Zealand rugby have the talent at first-five to cover the loss of Aaron Cruden.

Cruden's defection to France, where he will join Montpellier, has been well telegraphed and comes as no surprise with the 28-year-old finally succumbing to the mind-numbing money placed in front of him.

The reality of Cruden's situation will have dawned on the player long before he put pen to paper with the French outfit in a two-year deal worth €800,000 (NZ$1.2-million) a year.

ANDREW CORNAGA Lima Sopoaga and Damian McKenzie mightn't be left carrying the bags much longer as Aaron Cruden gets ready to depart the New Zealand rugby scene.

The writing has been on the wall for some time now.

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He has been supplanted in the All Blacks' thinking by the irrepressible play of Beauden Barrett, a No 10 good enough to be judged the world's best player.

Yes, Cruden will be a loss, but not the massive loss his move is sure to be painted as over the coming days.

The biggest loss will be Cruden's experience. He has 47 tests to his name in an injury-plagued career that dates back to 2010 and includes a 2011 World Cup triumph. He's become a wise head and some of the impetuous play that characterised his early test days has been replaced by consistency and a firm guiding hand on the backline.

ANTHONY AU-YEUNG/GETTY IMAGES Aaron Cruden is walking away, taking a $2.4m deal with French club Montpellier.

But during Cruden's frequent absences through injuries it became apparent that there is a procession of players capable of replacing him.

Lima Sopoaga and Damien McKenzie appear the big winners of this development.

Sopoaga has been a victim of the All Blacks' allegiance to Cruden. He's never let New Zealand down yet his opportunities have been limited. He's arguably a more dynamic player than Cruden who himself has great vision and rare attacking skills.

GETTY IMAGES Aaron Cruden makes a break during the Bledisloe Cup clash against Australia at Eden Park last year.

When Cruden was out of action during last year's Super Rugby it was Mckenzie who took his chances to rise to stardom with the Chiefs, playing well enough to get in the All Blacks mix.

No 10 used to be a problem position in terms of filling the boots of Dan Carter. But no more.

Barrett has taken things to a new level and he will drag the likes of Sopoaga and McKenzie in his jet-stream.

Yes, a run of injuries could raise some alarms, but there appears to be a depth of talent to see the All Blacks through to the 2019 World Cup where they will seek a hat-trick of titles.

The rise of Barrett has complicated things for Cruden and the All Blacks.

Handing Barrett the starting duties meant an awkward bench role for Cruden.

Cruden appeared to have a more steadying influence than being a player who could add real impact to a game off the bench.

That was a role Barrett played so well with his stunning play as a substitute regularly ripping opposition apart over the final quarter of a test.

But Barrett became so good, he had to be given starts, a move that always placed a question mark over how long Cruden could endure that.

Cruden made seven of his 10 test appearances off the bench last year. In his three starts, he only lasted the full 80 minutes once.

It was a trend that Cruden couldn't ignore as he weighed up his future.