Lions Tour 2017: Steve Hansen slams New Zealand press for latest Warren Gatland clown cartoon

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Jim Kayes29 June 2017

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has slammed a depiction in a New Zealand newspaper of his Lions counterpart Warren Gatland as a clown.

It is the second time the New Zealand Herald has used a cartoon of Gatland. It has been extremely hard on the Lions throughout the tour, often questioning whether Gatland’s style of play was damaging the game.

This week, the publication also suggested that Gatland had lost the plot when he accused the All Blacks of deliberately trying to injure Lions scrum-half Conor Murray in the First Test in Auckland.

Hansen reacted angrily to that, saying it was never part of his side’s thinking to injure the opposition, but he had some sympathy for the way New Zealand-born Gatland has been treated on his return home.

“It’s one thing to have a bit of banter and for you guys [the media] to beef that up to bigger than what it really is.

“I’ve heard you say I don’t like him and that we won’t have a beer together. I have a lot of respect for him, he’s a good coach and I have a lot of respect for the Lions - they’re a good team.

“But to come out and do that [use a cartoon]… you’re ridiculing somebody that doesn’t deserve it. We’re all coaches trying to do what we think is right.

“Sometimes people don’t agree with what we’re trying to do and that’s okay but to ridicule someone is not right. It’s a bit disappointing really.”

​Gatland has said he “doesn’t give a toss” about the cartoon but he has accused the newspaper of having a personal vendetta against him.

Meanwhile, Hansen would not be drawn on two incidents of potential foul play by Lions prop Mako Vunipola in the First Test.

Vunipola has been accused in the New Zealand media of grabbing All Blacks prop Owen Franks by the testicles and making a late shoulder charge on midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown.

Hansen said he was not aware of the incident said to involve Franks and that the veteran prop had not complained of any foul play.

On the shoulder charge, he said it was “just something that happens in the game”.

“Vunipola will probably look at it and think, ‘I was a bit stupid’.”

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Hansen said rugby was a game “for big boys” and things happened in most matches that players might later regret.

He pointed to lock Iain Henderson’s yellow card in the match against the Hurricanes as an example, saying it was similar to the incident that saw Brian O’Driscoll invalided out of the 2005 tour.

Hansen added: “It’s a hard game we play and there will be times when people unintentionally step over the line and do something that they might regret later.

“I’m just pleased he [Henderson] got a yellow card and nothing else. He didn’t do that intentionally but in the heat of the moment his skills at the breakdown haven’t been right.”

Hansen was in a jovial mood as he discussed his side for the Second Test in Wellington, saying Israel Dagg’s shift to full-back for the injured Ben Smith was a “no brainer” after it was decided Beauden Barrett had to remain at first five.

Hansen confirmed Smith would miss the Third Test because of concussion.

Waisake Naholo will start on the right wing, while Lienert-Brown starts at centre for the injured Ryan Crotty.

Hansen, however, warned his side to beware of wounded Lions ahead of the decisive Test.

He said: “The last Test was a beauty and with a little bit more luck and finish they could have easily won the test match.

“They know that and they will be coming here with a do-or-die attitude.

“We have to front up on Saturday. It’s okay doing it once, we have to do it again.”

The Lions were out-thought at Eden Park, with the All Blacks narrowing their attack to punch holes close to the ruck. Gatland admitted they were caught short at the breakdown and needed to be more physical in the Second Test.

Who gets their tactics right this week and who can adapt quickly will decide the winner - and potentially the series.

“He’s going to second guess what we do,” Hansen said of Gatland. “So are we going to play off nine again? And then we have to second guess, if we play off nine, will he shut that door?

“And if they shut the door, what other door have they just opened because you can’t do everything.

“That’s the beautiful thing about our game, it’s all about space and if you can find it, then you’re in business.”

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