Hansen in bid to lift pressure from NZ
NEW Zealand boss Steve Hansen tried to put pressure into perspective ahead of tomorrow’s Test series decider against the British and Irish Lions.
The world champions will find themselves in the unfamiliar position of trying to avoid suffering successive defeats at home for the first time since 1998 when they run out at Eden Park.
The Lions’ tense 24-21 success in Wellington last weekend tied up a gripping series, ending the All Blacks’ 46-match unbeaten run in New Zealand.
“It’s not the first time we’ve lost,” head coach Hansen said.
“I’ve read a lot of stories this week, and you would think the All Blacks had never lost a game and that the sky is falling in.
“Every week, there is pressure. We are expected to win every Test match, and when we win, we’re expected to win well.
“You’ve got to embrace that, you’ve got to walk towards that, and life tells you that we are really only playing a rugby game.”
Hansen, a former policeman, added: “Real pressure is when you’ve got to spend half an hour giving someone CPR and trying to save their life, and when that doesn’t work, telling their loved ones that ‘sorry, we haven’t been able to save them’.
“What are doing is playing a game of rugby.
“Is there more pressure than last week? No. We are expected to win every game we play, and on Saturday it is going to be physical. Every Test match is won up front, and this will be no different.
“But it won’t define this team whether we win, lose or draw. This is a young team that will only get better.”
Hansen, meanwhile, says the All Blacks are excited about the “pretty cool and calm” Jordie Barrett’s first Test start.
“He (Barrett) comes from fairly good stock, and he is a pretty cool and calm sort of bloke,” Hansen said.
“We would not have picked him if we didn’t think he could go out there and play. Whatever happens on Saturday, he is a young guy who is only going to get better and better.”
Reflecting on the home support, Hansen added: “Our fans have a massive part to play in who we are. They have a massive expectation. For the team itself, we know what we have to do.”