All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has cautioned Wallabies counterpart Michael Cheika to stick to picking his own team for Australia’s Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Test opener.
Hansen and his squad arrived in Australia on Sunday afternoon in preparation for Saturday’s game at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
Cheika recently suggested Hansen faced some interesting selection issues, particularly at five-eighth between Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett as well as openside flanker between Sam Cane and Ardie Savea.
“It’s good of the Australian coach to start picking our team. I’d say he’s got enough problems of his own, probably,” Hansen said at Sydney Airport.
“But we’ll pick ours and he can pick his and he’ll have a lot to say, no doubt.”
Hansen and Cheika engaged in a waspish exchange in the media in June.
The All Blacks mentor suggested Cheika had been bullied in the media by his England counterpart and former clubmate Eddie Jones.
Cheika hit back at Hansen, describing the comment as “really shallow”.
“I just answered a question,” Hansen said in response to being asked whether he had been playing mind games with the Wallabies coach.
“I got asked about how I thought the series was going. I think the Australian camp got a little bit upset with it.
“I left that a long time ago. I’m moving on to what we’ve got to do.”
He said Cane was a 99 per cent chance of being available to play on Saturday despite a recent concussion.
Hansen wasn’t expecting any major changes to the Wallabies game plan, though he expected their kicking game would improve under newly appointed national skills coach Mick Byrne, who previously held a similar position with the All Blacks.
“They’ve brought a lot of people back from the northern hemisphere so that gives them a bit more experience and their back three will be good under the high ball,” Hansen said.
“With Mick there they’ll have a better kicking game I’m sure, but you can’t change it too much.
“There’s a natural way Australia play, so I’m assuming they will stick to what they do.”
Hansen expected Byrne would have already had a strong influence on Australia despite being appointed only three weeks ago.
“He’s a pretty good coach, Mick. He’s learnt a bit, he taught us a bit, so you’ve got yourselves a goody there.”
Jerry
Guest
You may not say 'per capita' or 'punching above your weight' but it's the same thing. You can't win but you try and do as well as you can relative to your size.
soapit
Guest
just read the rest. (edit function seems to have disappeared.) individual events jerry win or do as well as we can. i couldnt tell you where we finished in any olympic games (except being vaguely aware we did pretty well in sydney)
soapit
Guest
not sure about miserably but yes we arent doing as well as we normally would (tho normal could be changing). we're never going to get near the top overall. we just try and win as many as we can and leave it at that.no doubt theres some out there that still need to do the per capita thing to imagine we are a nation of superheroes but i personally havent heard it since school really or shortly after.
Terry
Guest
It`s pronounced Tuddlywunks ! Brew..
Muz
Guest
Trash talking? I'd say an honest reply to a question fielded by the Australian media. You've dug yourself quite the hole here EJ
Two Eyed Cyclop
Roar Guru
I think their rugby has done faaaaaarrrr too much talking already!!!!
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Thanks Sydneysider ... I wasn't out to create an argument nor anything prolonged but reading Jake's statement stuck out like the old proverbial dogs balls, it was almost laughable. I actually reckon that in fact both NZ and Aussie are doing OK.
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
*laughing@Chook* ... it should be apparent to most that looking at statistics is merely that. No question "relative to population" NZ sent more athletes but that does not have any bearing on medal potential. Mr Chook you surely realise that with each event limited or capped to the same maximum number of participants from any given country, it is clear that that team sizes relative to country population has no bearing. Perhaps more important is the qualifying standard set by Aussie compared to other countries. However the country with the greater population by default has or should have a greater talent base to choose from. I got a headache just reading CUW's response!
WEST
Guest
Just media creating drama, Cheika has been told this and that. Then they'll ask Hanen this and that trying to create a problem that isn't even there. It's all a bunch of nonsense
ClarkeG
Guest
Goodness me Soapit. Look, I’m not even sure what an existential twilight zone is but I’m fairly confident it is another personal crack at me. All good - if you must. Need to? – chose to ? does it really matter ? – but you did write the comment. I have no doubt that you believe your comment to be true. What I said was that only you could explain your need (choice) to make that comment. I didn’t actually ask you for an explanation. I didn’t did I. Heavens to Murgatroyd. :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fwpj27hlP4
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Careful Chook ... you might become an adopted Kiwi...
Ash
Guest
Good laugh. Good to see.
ebop
Guest
Australia was whipped up into a lather when EJ had a stab at picking the Wallabies before the first test.
ClarkeG
Guest
Soapit your crack at me was the implication that my rationality is impaired. Let’s please not pretend otherwise. No doubt there are some posters in this forum that might behave in the manner you have described but your comments have been about NZers in general. Your comments referring to “superior personal integrity” and “holier than thou attitude” are quite unnecessary. If you feel this applies to any particular poster at any time then you should address that person specifically rather than imply a collective culture across all. The rest of your 2nd paragraph – where you mention textbook, victim, alarm bells etc - I can’t really comment on because I’m not sure I follow it to be honest, although the mention of a Clarke alternate reality leads me to suspect another personal crack at me. Clear this up if you like but I don’t mind if you leave it as is.
Jokerman
Guest
Very funny, Machooka ! though I'm very upset with been moderated. All I was trying to do is get Jake to higher honours and represent his county !! ??
Jerry
Guest
"we try to win" Then you're failing miserably, 20 golds and 45 medals behind the USA. Hell, you couldn't even win your home games, didn't even top 3! Oh wait, you don't really try and win though, do you? You haven't actually got a realistic chance of winning and I'm sure the entire team would concede that. Instead, you try and get as many medals as you can. And, invariably at the end of the Olympics you look at your place, usually somewhere inside the top 10 and say something like 'Well, that's pretty good considering we're just behind Japan which is a much bigger country."....
soapit
Guest
a couple of levels of stupid in there CUW.
soapit
Guest
much simpler just to go with chooks numbers
Rebel
Guest
He replied to a comment. Why don't you question why that false comment was made in the first place.
soapit
Guest
not really jerry, we try to win.