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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen turned on a reporter after what he branded as a “pretty average” question directed at New Zealand captain Kieran Read.
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England sensationally beat the All Blacks in a convincing 19-7 victory, a result that sees the reigning champions dethroned and out of the tournament. Hansen said that at half-time he told his side they needed to get hungrier in the second half.
“We talked about trying to take it back off them and we needed to get hungry and desperate before it was too late and we talked about that, getting set-piece ball and lineouts. We didn’t get the platform there we anticipated and England were very good there.”
A reporter questioned the All Blacks hunger in general and Hansen offered the reporter outside. “I think it’s quite a disrespectful question to suggest that the All Blacks turned up not hungry.
“They’re desperate to win the game – just because I’ve asked them at halftime to get hungrier doesn’t mean they didn’t turn up to be hungry.
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“There’s a big difference and if you want to spend some time outside, I’ll give you a rugby education on that one. To turn up and say that an All Blacks team comes to a semi-final of the Rugby World Cup with the amount of ability and the history that it’s had behind it – that’s a pretty average question, I reckon.”
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“They [England] had guys who were prepared to throw their bodies at our boys. They have been good for a long time but tonight was not good enough.”
Hansen was however magnanimous in defeat, offering his congratulations to Eddie Jones and England. “First of all I would like to congratulate England, they played a tremendous game of footy and on the day deserved to win the game. You can’t give them half a step because they will take it and, at the end of the day, that’s what rugby is about and well done to them.”
It was undoubtedly the biggest win of Eddie Jones’ tenure as @EnglandRugby head coach
– @alexshawsport rates the England players #ENGvNZL https://t.co/Vyfsov38Qe
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2019
“I’m really proud of our team, they have done a tremendous job for their country and just tonight we weren’t good enough so we have to take that on the chin and so does everybody back home, our fans – all credit to England.
“You saw the boys, at the end they were still trying their guts out and that is all you can ask, so really proud of them – and thanks to Japan for a wonderful, wonderful tournament, really appreciate it.”
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Eddie Jones or Emilio Estevez #ENGvNZL pic.twitter.com/ch6R8FgXBY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2019
Captain Kieran Read said: “I am sure they are disappointed and that is how I feel. We gave as much as we had and today we came up short. We are extremely disappointed by that, and it’s hard to put things into words.
“The guys absolutely turned up with as much as we could bring and we fell short but we will pick ourselves up but it is a hard thing to sit here and say exactly why it is. We are hurting today and will move on.”
WATCH: Jim Hamilton previews the second World Cup semi-final featuring Wales versus South Africa in the latest episode of Don’t Mess With Jim
