World champions New Zealand showed real character in rebounding from a shock defeat two weeks ago to beat the same side Ireland 21-9 in Dublin on Saturday, coach Steve Hansen said.
The 57-year-old — who guided the All Blacks to a successful defense of their Rugby World Cup title last year — added that they had been put under huge pressure, especially in the second half, and had answered the call.
Hansen — who had not been very happy when in the immediate post match TV interview he had thought his side were accused of being dirty — said it was especially creditable given after the World Cup last year they lost players with more than 800 caps between them.
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“I’m pretty happy,” Hansen said. “Two weeks ago, this team lost to the same opposition and this created adversity. Today was all about how they would stand up to that pressure … they answered that. It wasn’t always pretty and they have a lot to learn, but given the players and experience we lost with over 800 caps they’re going pretty well so far.”
Hansen, who picked up the World Coach of the Year award the previous weekend for the fourth time in five years, said the way the players had stood up to Ireland, who failed to score a try, could not be taken out of a training manual.
“We had character, especially as for 20 minutes of the match we played with 14 men [they had two players sin-binned — Aaron Smith in the first half and try-scorer Malakai Fekitoa in the second],” Hansen said. “You can’t coach character. Did we play the smartest rugby? I don’t think so, but I thought it was a fair dinkum Test match.”
Hansen, who took over the role five years ago after Graham Henry stood down after winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup, said that a difference between the defeat in Chicago and Saturday’s game was a different mindset shown by the team.
“We turned up here with the right attitude,” Hansen said. “I think in Chicago we turned up with our attitude off by 5 percent and we paid for that. In rugby it sounds simple, but to win big Tests you have to be able kick it, pass it and use the space. I thought our kicking was much better today than it was in Chicago and we ran at their defense, who didn’t seem to be keen on tackling, but preferring to wrest the ball off us. Beauden Barrett saw that and he scored his try exactly through that.”
Skipper Kieran Read said it had been a heck of a physical tussle.
“How hard a Test was it? Pretty much up there with the hardest,” the 31-year-old No. 8 said. “The boys dug in deep and showed real character. We had to work bloody hard.”
Hansen preferred to keep his counsel over the performance of South African referee Jaco Peyper, although he felt he had not been as hard on Ireland as on his side.
“Can’t argue with the decisions,” said Hansen, who gave a terse yes in answer to a question whether he would speak to his players about the number of high tackles they put in. “However, I would like to see some consistency. I felt the Irish committed the same infringement that Aaron Smith got sent to the sin bin for and they didn’t get punished. The referee had a tough game and did the best he could — if I said anymore I would get fined. You just want them to be consistent. If he was then he had a great game. If he didn’t we’ll talk to him.”
Hansen, though, conceded Ireland had pushed them all the way.
“They’re a side that is going places,” he said.
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