Showdownat Twickenham set to eclipse Lions tour: Hansen
STEVE Hansen believes New Zealand’s clash with England is bigger than last year’s series against the British and Irish Lions.
Hansen’s All Blacks are set to play at Twickenham for the first time since their World Cup final victory over Australia in 2015.
The sold-out Test match follows the 2017 Lions tour when New Zealand were held to a draw on home soil.
Head coach Hansen is keen to make amends for that frustration tomorrow.
“I think (the England match is) even bigger actually. I think the Lions tour has made it bigger because we weren’t successful,” said the 59-year-old.
“In only drawing the series, that wasn’t successful for us. That’s made this week have a sharper edge to it, which is good.
“You’ve got to be reasonably stupid if you can’t work out this is going to be big.
“You’d have to be on holiday, I reckon, if you didn’t work out that this is going to be big. And we haven’t got anybody on holiday this week.”
Meanwhile, Eddie Jones has given Chris Ashton his first England start for four years believing his nose for the try-line will be crucial in tomorrow’s long-awaited clash with New Zealand.
His strike rate of 19 tries makes him a key weapon that Jones insists must be deployed from the start at Twickenham where the rivals collide for the first time in four years.
“Chris can sniff a try from anywhere. To beat New Zealand you have got to score tries. He’s in good form and has looked sharp, so we’ve given him the nod to start,” said Jones.
England: E Daly; C Ashton, H Slade , B Te’o, J May; O Farrell (co-capt), B Youngs; B Moon , D Hartley (co-capt), K Sinckler, M Itoje, G Kruis, B Shields, S Underhill, M Wilson. Replacements: J George, A Hepburn, H Williams, C Ewels, C Lawes, D Care, G Ford, J Nowell (Exeter).
New Zealand: D McKenzie; B Smith, J Goodhue, S B Williams, R Ioane; B Barrett, A Smith; K Tu’inukuafe, C Taylor, O Franks, S Whitelock, B Retallick, L Squire, A Savea, K Read (cap).
SCIENTISTS have recently discovered that cows can ascertain certain noise patterns according to mood. For example, cows can emit excitable sounds when they detect their food arriving. It may be news — or moos — to some of us but not to farmers, who have been able to interpret their animals’ humour for centuries.
Sean O’Brien, a farmer himself on his down days, will be aware of it but listening to Tadhg Furlong yesterday one was reminded how it applies to humans too.
As the Tullow man prepares for his first Ireland appearance since the same fixture against the Pumas 12 months ago, the Irish prop offered an insight into the flanker’s eagerness to be released into the field.
“It’s great to see him back out there and as vocal as ever with his high-pitched voice,” smiled his fellow farmer.
O’Brien took time to find his feet after making his latest comeback against Connacht at the end of September.
Now he is finding his voice, too. “You have to roar because the props are so lazy,” he laughed.
“Yeah, that’s definitely a factor. I’d say as you feel you’re getting back to yourself, you’re more vocal.
“After just getting back to Leinster for a few games, then coming in here, you’re getting your job sorted first and foremost, making sure I was doing all the basics really well.
“And then you can start to give voice around different things if needs be. I’ve never come back in and spoken for the sake of it.”
He has been silenced for too long. Argentina’s return to Dublin reminds one that he missed out on that devastating World Cup defeat in 2015.
When Ireland created history against the All Blacks in Chica-