THE REMARKABLES All Blacks set test record amid bitter war of words
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen begs to differ with aggrieved Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
His team respects the heck out of the Australians as opponents, and the difficulty they had setting their special record at Eden Park last night only added to that.
Cheika unleashed a remarkable volley of accusations after the All Blacks’ 37-10 victory that secured the clean sweep over the Wallabies for the season and, more importantly, achieved the record of 18 consecutive test victories over tierone nations.
Among other things he felt disrespected for being portrayed as a clown in an Auckland daily newspaper, he was not happy that the All Blacks had accused them of bugging their team room in Sydney and he said the New Zealand team ‘‘didn't care’’ what they thought of their special record.
Hansen offered Cheika some advice as he reflected on a victory that was a lot, lot tougher than the final score indicated, and which was swung on a contentious no-try ruling against the Wallabies early in the second half.
‘‘You’ve got to be bigger than that, don’t you,’’ Hansen said when told of Cheika's level of discontent. ‘‘I’ve been dressed up as a clown myself. You don’t want to take it to heart otherwise it will break you.
‘‘We’ve got no control over what the media do, you're on your own agenda, and maybe his beef should be with you guys.’’
Told that Cheika had said the Wallabies feel the All Blacks don’t respect what they say, Hansen replied:
‘‘That’s rubbish. We respect them immensely. What he’s got to remember is just because over the years there's fierce competition and things happen, it doesn’t mean we don’t respect them. Our guys respect them a lot. We went to war with these guys. At what point does winning mean you’re not respecting them?’’
He also denied they had accused the Wallabies of bugging them. ‘‘We don’t know who did it and we don't really care who did it. We’ve let it go and moved on.’’
Hansen said his feeling was the press conference had been ‘‘hijacked’’ by something that was nothing to do with rugby and ‘‘someone is feeling a little aggrieved about something you guys have done’’.
‘‘What happened tonight was a really good test match between two good teams. There was some great rugby played, and it was a good advert for the game.’’
Hansen added: ‘‘Australia played a fantastic game of rugby tonight. If you looked in our changing-room you would know the boys have been through the mill. It was a really tough game − just the sort of game you want if you're going to break a record so you can be proud of the record.
‘‘I’m very proud to get to 18 but we didn't do it easy. We had to work hard for it and it took to the 60-65 minute mark until we got on top.’’
He also didn’t agree with Cheika’s view that the ref and TMO got it wrong on Henry Speight’s notry ruling. ‘‘Did he change his ground, and did he drop his shoulder? Yes. Is that allowed? No. Unfortunately that’s the way it was.’’
Skipper Kieran Read said it was a victory the All Blacks could be very proud of as they set a mark they have been chasing for some time now.
‘‘It felt like a big week because of the intensity of the game, and the amount put on getting to 18. The boys can be very proud to come through it. It was a different type of game, similar to a final. It was a game that had a lot on it, and the boys feel pretty stoked but know we had to work so hard.
‘‘We always love going out there and playing well and to be able to put the icing on the cake of a tough test match was the most pleasing thing for the guys. It was hard out there, really tough. They put us under a lot of pressure and the boys responded.’’
And now, added Read, the achievement would be celebrated in appropriate fashion by an All Blacks group that has achieved some quite special things in 2016.
‘‘We’re really proud. We’ll celebrate and enjoy tonight, and have the opportunity to rest up a little with a week off after this.’’