Gatland: We have got the All Blacks worried
WARREN GATLAND says the All Blacks are running scared ahead of the first Test after accusing coach Steve Hansen of stirring rumours about a split in the Lions camp.
Hansen has made sniping comments ever since the Lions arrived in New Zealand and, speaking after a morale-boosting triumph over the Maori All Blacks, Gatland said: ‘He is saying things he doesn’t know. That’s normally a sign of a man that is a bit worried.’
Hansen must have been impressed by the Lions’ win in Rotorua secured by two tries — one from Maro Itoje, one a penalty — and 20 points from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny.
Gatland insisted there is certainly no divide in the camp and that the tourists go to Eden Park for Saturday’s first Test with a siege mentality after being ‘written off’.
‘Steve Hansen is normally pretty calm and he has been doing a lot of press conferences,’ said Gatland. ‘I can only take that as a sign of respect in that he is a little bit worried. Maybe he is worried by potentially how good this team can be.
‘The off-field stuff puts a bit of a dampener on it but that’s professional sport.’