New Zealand coach attempts to water down ‘Mickey Mouse’ sledge aimed at Michael Cheika
The All Blacks are up to their old tricks again, with New Zealand coach and master agitator Steve Hansen attempting to get into the referees head before Bledisloe I.
Rugby
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The All Blacks are up to their old tricks again, with New Zealand coach and master agitator Steve Hansen questioning the legality of Australia’s much improved scrum after trying to wriggle out of his running feud with Wallaby boss Michael Cheika.
Quizzed Thursday about why he referred to Cheika as a ‘mickey mouse’ coach at a function in Wellington earlier this year, Hansen went on the defensive, saying it was all just a joke, then took a subtle dig at Australia’s set-piece play.
Stream the 2019 Rugby Championship on KAYO SPORTS. Every match live & anytime in HD on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14-day free trial >
"I never said he was mickey mouse," Hansen said.
"What I said was a throwaway line in jest, the interviewer said to me: ‘Mark Ella said mickey mouse could coach the All Blacks because they’ve got so much talent’.
“And I said ‘he can’t, because he’s in Australia, coaching Australia”.
"You can make a big thing out of it or you can take it for what it was, something in jest. I have plenty of respect for what Michael has done, end of story really."
No stranger to the pre-match mind games the New Zealanders try on before every Bledisloe Cup, Cheika said he “no dramas” with Hansen’s cheap shot but said it still reflected badly on the game’s ethos of showing respect to the opposition.
“Respect is an important thing in footy,” Cheika said. “It’s the nature of the game, you rip into each other and then you socialise after.”
Unable to resist himself, Hansen still managed to sneak in a little parting shot about the Wallaby scrum, which has been transformed from a liability to an attacking weapon, when asked about what has impressed him most about the Australians this season.
“I’ve always thought they were a very good rugby side, they’ve got a lot of talent and not necessarily do they get the credit for what they do or how they play,” Hansen said.
“They play us a lot and if you look at our last 10 years they’ve been the one team that have been able to beat us or draw with us. Sometimes, yes, we’ve beaten them by quite a margin but they’re always tough games.
“Their lineout at the moment is very impressive, their scrummaging is pretty good.
“I think they’re still leaning a bit, the new rules say you can’t lean, so hopefully that gets sorted.”
Originally published as New Zealand coach attempts to water down ‘Mickey Mouse’ sledge aimed at Michael Cheika
Suaalii’s new position revealed ahead of Super Rugby opener
After missing NSW’s final trial match against the Brumbies a fortnight ago, Super Rugby’s highest-profile recruit has been given a positional switch for his Waratahs debut.
Axed star opens up on controversial Wallabies snubbing
Langi Gleeson was invited to be part of the Wallabies training camp – as he pushed towards a call-up against the British and Irish Lions. And then it was brutally snatched away from him.