Hansen v Gatland:
Back and forth, back and forth they go these two savvy rugby coaches, playing the game within the game like champion tennis players trading blows from the baseline.
So far we’re on serve (and there have been plenty). We’ll know the winner of the first set some time around 9.30pm on Saturday night.
As a prelude to the looming seismic rugby battle between the All Blacks and British and Irish Lions, the first instalment of which will play out on Eden Park on Saturday night, the verbal jousting between the respective head coaches, Steve Hansen and Warren Gatland, who both happen to be New Zealanders, has been something to behold.
If the main event is half as entertaining those who forked out those extortionate ticket prices just might get some value for their hard-earneds.
To sum up: here’s what we’ve had so far. All Blacks coach Hansen has had a little dig at his Lions opposite Gatland’s ‘‘predictable’’ coaching style, and then followed that up by announcing (prematurely) the Lions were soon to bring in reinforcements, and hinting at dissatisfaction in the ranks over a split between the Saturday and midweek teams.
Gatland has returned serve. He has made strong, and repeated, allegations that New Zealand rugby teams across the board use illegal blocking to protect kick receivers. He also repeatedly talked about how ‘‘worried’’ Hansen must be by what’s coming their way.
All part of the banter that helps fill the gaps between matches, and all reasonably standard operating procedure. What is it they say? All is fair in love and war.
Predictably, both coaches were not going to allow their Thursday team naming press conferences to pass without continuing the back and forth.
Hansen, going for the subtle rather than sledgehammer approach, had a clear dig when he was asked what he would be talking to referee Jaco Peyper about before the match.
British and Irish Lions: Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, Conor Murray; Taulupe Faletau, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony (captain), George Kruis, Alun Wyn Jones, Tadhg Furlong, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola. Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Sam Warburton, Rhys Webb, Johnny Sexton, Leigh Halfpenny