Kaino backs Peyper to shrug off All Blacks dirty-tricks claim

All Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino has hit back at Warren Gatland’s assertion that New Zealand teams are using illegal tactics to block their opponents.

The Lions raised the issue during the victory over the Maori All Blacks on Saturday, and will do so again with the same referee from that game, Jaco Peyper of South Africa, prior to the first Test at Eden Park on Saturday.

Gatland said the practice of wilful obstruction was more prevalent in New Zealand than anywhere. “It’s part of the game in New Zealand, all New Zealand teams at the moment are doing it,” he said.

Kaino, the longest-serving player in the All Blacks squad, rejected the claims. “It is not [particular] to New Zealand teams. Every team does the same. You play the fine margins. As long as you are within the rules, I don’t see any problem.”

Kaino has no concerns that the Lions will put pressure on Peyper on Saturday. The Lions could be heard pointing out incidents last Saturday, after which the South African did warn the Maori All Blacks. “We can’t really go into a game worthere

rying about what the ref is going to rule on how we play,” said Kaino, restored to full fitness after recent injuries and prominent during his side’s 78-0 win over Samoa last Friday. “We have a game that we want to play, and we will try to play that as well as we can.

“You have just got to play to the whistle. He [Jaco Peyper] is pretty good in how he communicates. As a player, you always want to know what he [the referee] needs from you, and that is all you can ask for.”

Such has been the chippy interface between Gatland and Steve Hansen, the pair exchanging several barbs, that the Lions head coach stated that his counterpart must be “worried”. Kaino, 34, revealed that the New Zealand coach did not seem in the least bit rattled. “He was still his cheeky self this morning, cracking jokes, so I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary,” he said.

What is detectable is the upturn in All Black intensity. “It is starting to amplify now,” said Kaino. “The Lions Tests in 2005 were amazing. It was a great time and it is a similar feeling this time. You always want to measure yourself against the best, and the way the northernhemisphere teams have been playing, especially in the forwards, has definitely set standards.”

New Zealand name their team on Thursday with captain Kieran Read expected to be fit after a broken thumb and centre Ryan Crotty also recovered from a rib injury.