Hansen takes a crack at Gatland
McCaw’s uncle mourned
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has scoffed at Warren Gatland’s comments about ‘‘hating’’ the tour of New Zealand, telling him to get out of coaching if he doesn’t enjoy it.
The New Zealand-born Lions coach said he had been brought down by the constant negativity of the media during the Lions tour to New Zealand this year.
Those comments astounded Hansen, who said it was part of the job of coaching international rugby. ‘‘I’ve only just heard it [Gatland’s comments] because I don’t read too much about what coaches are saying and doing,’’ Hansen told Radio Sport.
‘‘Why would you hate coaching the Lions? If you hate coaching, don’t do it. I love coaching any team I’ve been involved in - that’s the reason I’m doing it.
‘‘I’m lucky enough to coach the All Blacks, which is fantastic, if you are lucky enough to coach the Lions it is also fantastic.’’
Hansen said the sort of pressure Gatland faced here with the Lions was ‘‘what you get all the time with the All Blacks’’.
‘‘Welcome to our world. You are under constant pressure, constant scrutiny. People expect you to be able to front up and do the job well.
‘‘In the All Blacks’ case, we are expected to win every test match and win it well.
‘‘You don’t want to change those expectations - they drive your own inner expectations to be even higher. It drives that necessity to want to always be better.’’
Hansen said he loved the fact that New Zealand fans ‘‘expect us to aim high’’ and ‘‘expect us to win’’.
‘‘That’s exactly what we should be doing. Everyone in our group is trying to do that - to win every test match with attractive rugby.
‘‘Is it possible to do all the time? Mid Canterbury rugby is mourning the loss of Richie McCaw’s uncle John McLay, who helped inspire him to All Black greatness.
‘‘Bigsy’’ McLay, a respected forward who played 104 matches for Mid Canterbury and was a New Zealand Colts and New Zealand Universities representative, died in Ashburton last Sunday after battling Huntington’s disease.
A pictorial biography – In The Zone – featuring his rugby career and sports mentoring work was launched in Ashburton last month with McCaw penning a testimonial.
McLay also featured in McCaw’s first book -v Richie McCaw - The Open Side – which highlighted a career-defining conversation a teenage McCaw had with his uncle in a McDonald’s restaurant in Timaru in 1999 when the future All Blacks captain was a New Zealand under-19 trialist.
McCaw wrote: ’’You want to be in the New Zealand under-19s,’’ Uncle Bigsy said. ‘‘Do you want to be an All Black?’’. I’m not sure. But there is nothing stopping you from trying to. And I wouldn’t be doing the job if I didn’t still have the same passion.’’
Meanwhile, Hansen said the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup defeat in Brisbane last weekend was partly attributable to a lack of test experience.
‘‘We’ve got some trying circumstances at the moment with nine
After McCaw declared he did want to wear the silver fern, uncle and nephew scribbled some career goals on a paper serviette.
McLay reportedly wanted McCaw to include becoming a ‘‘Great All Black’’ as a goal, but his nephew – who went on to win a record 148 caps – wrote G.A.B. and signed his name.
McLay, 62, was McCaw’s mother Margaret’s brother.
‘‘He was an uncompromising kind of fellow. You had to work hard to get Bigsy’s respect,’’ said Mid Canterbury and former All Blacks lock Jock Ross. ‘‘He didn’t bow to anybody. Losing was not an option.’’
McLay’s funeral will be held in Ashburton today.
"Welcome to our world. You are under constant pressure, constant scrutiny. People expect you to be able to front up and do the job well."
Steve Hansen's message to Warren Gatland
or 10 players out,’’ he told Radio Sport. ‘‘That’s on top of losing all that legendary talent after the World Cup - that’s over 50 per cent of your team.
‘‘It is a heck of a great challenge for us to come through, but next year when all nine are available then watch what happens because we’ve grown depth and experience.’’