Hansen ridicules criticism of Read
Steve Hansen has hit out at ‘‘ridiculous’’ stories questioning the continued selection of captain Kieran Read.
Back surgery slowed the skipper’s entry onto the international stage this year and his performances at No 8 have been good, without being spectacular. He dropped a loose ball at an important time during Sunday’s 16-9 loss to Ireland, and some, including Stuff columnist Mark Reason, have wondered aloud if Read’s best days might be behind him.
It’s hardly a surprise to hear Hansen holds a different view.
‘‘Some of those articles are ridiculous and been written by people that have never been in our environment, we’ve never seen them at a rugby game. He’s going well. He’s in the best shape he’s been all year,’’ Hansen said of Read, ahead of New Zealand’s clash with Italy in Rome on Sunday.
‘‘He’s had some tough moments during the course of the year, which have been great for him. First of all his back was career-ending possibly, so he had to deal with that. He’s had some learnings on the track as a leader and he’s come through that fine.
‘‘He’s got all the respect in the world from the team. He knocked a ball on on Saturday; that was pretty costly, he knows that and he’s bitterly disappointed but that’s rugby. Sometimes that happens.’’
Sometimes, people see fit to be critical of players such as Read when they don’t meet the high standards they’ve set for themselves. Surely there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with that.
‘‘You’ve just got to be strong enough to believe in who you are but, as I say, he’s well supported so his position’s not under threat,’’ Hansen said of Read.
The coach was then asked to comment on the scrutiny faced by the All Blacks and the critical comments that have increasingly emerged as the season’s gone on.
‘‘The one constant thing about the All Blacks is pressure and you wouldn’t want it any other way because it’s what’s made us over the years the team we are. That external expectation is really, really high so what do we have to do internally? Well, we have to have even higher expectations of ourselves.
‘‘Is it frustrating when you read some of the stuff from people who should know better? Yep, it is. But they’ve also got a job to do. Usually it’s to sell a newspaper or get somebody to click on their story.
‘‘The good thing people could do is not click on it; then they wouldn’t have a job and it’d be great.’’
Meanwhile, the All Blacks have again named dual playmakers in Beauden Barrett and Damian Mckenzie to start against Italy, with Richie Mo’unga in the reserves.
Jordie Barrett gets a run on the right wing but elsewhere, the team is predictable, with several first-stringers getting a rest.
‘‘He’s got all the respect in the world from the team.’’ Steve Hansen on Kieran Read
At a glance
All Blacks team to play Italy:
Damian Mckenzie, Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-brown, Ngani Laumape, Waisake Naholo, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Vaea Fifita, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Nepo Laulala, Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi. Reserves: Nathan Harris, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Angua Ta’avao, Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papalii, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Richie Mo’unga, Rieko Ioane.