DON’T CALL THEM DIRTY
FURY OVER GATLAND CLAIM Henshaw says Kiwi’s play fair as raging All Blacks coach phones radio show to defend tactics
ROBBIE HENSHAW insists New Zealand don’t overstep the mark as a war of words around Conor Murray’s Test match treatment rages on. British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland hit out at the All Blacks targeting Murray’s standing leg when box-kicking in the 30-15 first Test defeat on Saturday. His remarks left opposite number Steve Hansen so incensed he called a radio station to brand Gatland “desperate” for demanding refs hand his scrum-half greater protection. But Lions ace Henshaw, who was knocked unconscious by Sam Cane’s head-high shoulder charge in Ireland’s 21-9 loss to New Zealand in Dublin last year, remains convinced the Kiwi side do toe the disciplinary line. The centre said: “We know how physical they are as a team and it’s Test rugby. For us, physicality is also one of the fundamental components in rugby. Everyone uses it in abundance. “I don’t think New Zealand take it too far, sometimes in the moment people may get their entry wrong, stick out an arm and hit someone high. “It’s not intentional and people make mistakes but it’s down to the officials what happens on the pitch, it needs to be taken care of.” Hansen called New Zealand station Radio Sport to criticise Gatland and said: “It’s really disappointing to hear it because what he’s implying is that we’re going out there to intentionally injure somebody and that’s not the case. “I guess he might be a bit desperate.” Flanker Cane put Henshaw out of commission back in November but the only discipline that followed was a simple penalty in a match refereed by Jaco Peyper – who also officiated the weekend’s first Test in Auckland.
But Leinster and Ireland midfielder Henshaw remains unfazed by New Zealand’s bullish approach.
Asked if the Lions can add extra protection when half-back Murray lines up a box kick Henshaw said: “Not necessarily because if you came in to block you’d give a penalty away. All you can do is stand your ground.
“If the guy’s clearly going for a block down and going for the ball and he follows through and hits the player, that’s not his fault.
“But if he’s nowhere near the ball and he’s hit our guy off the ball it needs to be looked at. We’ll probably look at it in detail, the referees might look at it in detail and see.
“But at the moment we’re okay about it. We know teams are going after our key players to put them under pressure and to try to shut down our key players.”
Gatland remains determined to see referees police similar attempts across the remainder of the Lions series.
And he stands by claims the All Blacks had gone too far.
He said: “There were a couple of times with Conor where there was a charge down, where someone dived at his legs. I thought that was a little bit dangerous.
“It’s just making sure he’s being looked after and protected and not harassed after he’s box kicked.”
Henshaw will start at inside-centre for this morning’s clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington where he will bid to force his way into Gatland’s plans for the second Test on Saturday. And the 24-year-old insisted the Lions squad have taken solace from Elliot Daly and Liam Williams producing fine performances in the 34-6 Chiefs win last weekend to catapult themselves into the Test team.
He said: “There were definitely a few shocks when the team was read out and Liam and Elliot had brilliant games.
“People were shocked to see them play four days later but that’s the reality of a Lions tour.
“If you stand out and play well you will be looked at and maybe chosen.”