Hansen brushes off suggestion of spying

NEW Zealand rugby boss Steve Hansen has laughed off spying suggestions from the England camp and described them as “the best clickbait in the world”.

It emerged on Tuesday that one of England’s training sessions was filmed by an unidentified cameraman who was spotted in one of the residential buildings overlooking the pitch.

England head coach Eddie

Jones did not allege that New Zealand were responsible and Hansen was in jocular mood on the subject at his team announcement press conference ahead of Saturday’s World Cup semi-final between the countries in Yokohama.

“Eddie and I both know that all is fair in love and war,” Hansen said. “There is nothing better in war than throw a wee distraction out that you guys in the media can’t resist.

“It’s the best clickbait in the world, someone’s spying on us. He didn’t call at us. He was very deliberate in not doing that.

“He talked about it being somebody else. It was probably the same bloke who videoed us when we were there but everyone has jumped on it and he’s been successful in getting clickbait.

“He was very particular about what he said, that someone had filmed their training.

“He said it could have been a supporter. He didn’t say New Zealand did it.

“It is only a mind game if you buy into it. We are not buying into it.

“It has allowed us to have a good laugh. I am chuckling away.”

Hansen said he had been in contact with Jones this week, and said: “He’s been in touch with me but not about spying.

“I get a text ‘how are you going, Steve? Pretty good, thanks Eddie’. He’s laughing, I’m laughing.

“You guys are getting what you want because everyone is clicking on the bait.”

Steve Hansen: “Eddie and I both know that all is fair in love and war.”

Josh Taylor during his win over Ivan Baranchyk (see story right).