Hansen slams ‘cheats’ tag
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has hit back at accusations his side are ‘‘the most cynical cheats at a breakdown’’ who are ‘‘paranoid about openside cover’’ in their Rugby World Cup squad.
The claims were made by former England first five-eighth now commentator/journalist Stuart Barnes, in a piece written in
Barnes described the All Blacks as being the most positive attacking team in the world, but that they had a dark flip side and were intent on replacing the influential Richie McCaw with other players capable of killing quick ball, and that as a team they were masters of pressuring referees to rule the breakdown in their favour.
Speaking soon after arriving in Hamilton for Saturday’s test against Tonga, which presents as a final hitout before the World Cup, Hansen dismissed Barnes’ comments as nonsense.
‘‘I hadn’t even given it any thought, waste of time,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘Like, we’re playing Tonga this week, and you’ve got commentators in the UK who have come out and said we’re cynical at the breakdown.
‘‘We’re no different to any other team at the breakdown. But he’s got to say something because he’s got to sell his papers. So let’s not get caught up and buy into that.
‘‘If he thinks that’s why we’re carrying three opensides [Sam Cane, Ardie Savea and Matt Todd], that’s good, carry on thinking that. It couldn’t be further from the truth.’’
It’s nothing new for Hansen in a job where coaching the consistently best rugby team on the planet means a big deal of scrutiny and hole-picking.
Which brings us to World Cup favouritism, and another tag the All Blacks are used to carrying into the global showpiece. Asked what he’d made of other sides’ lead-in form, Hansen was, like last week, still reluctant to offer up any specific horses he thought worth backing.
‘‘I’m not allowed to bet. I’m not allowed to give advice. So I can’t tell you. That’s the rules,’’ he quipped.
‘‘The favourites will be the favourites, whoever you guys decide that you want to call the favourites. Call them all favourites, there you go, put them all under a bit of pressure, it’ll be good.
‘‘I’m happy where we’re at, and that’s all I’m worried about, because that’s all I can control.’’
And what Hansen is looking at controlling this weekend is a solid, confidence-yielding performance against Tonga.
While the world No 15 lost 29-19 to Fiji in Auckland last Saturday and won’t pose much of a threat on the scoreboard, it will be a hit-out nonetheless, with Hansen not concerned about potential injury against a renowned physical unit.
‘‘The Tongans aren’t any more physical than anyone else,’’ he said.
‘‘The risk of getting injured comes when you don’t mentally and physically prepare properly during the week and then you turn up half ready and you get a