ALL BLACKS COACH Steve Hansen admitted he was concerned by his team’s indiscipline during this evening’s victory at the Aviva Stadium but took exception to suggestions they were a dirty side.
The world champions had two players — Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa — sent to the sin bin and almost certainly should have had a third for a blatant infringement under their posts before half-time.
New Zealand’s penalty count was also high but when asked by RTÉ’s Clare McNamara at full-time if he was concerned by the tackling, Hansen was less than impressed.
“Do you want me to tell you we’re a dirty side or something? Is that what you’re saying?” he replied.
RTÉ Rugby / Twitter
RTÉ Rugby / Twitter / Twitter
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“This is a moving game. The first one [Cane on Henshaw] was a head-clash. There were no arms involved in it all. The one on the far side was obviously a little high… I don’t think there was any malice in it.
“Rugby is a shifting game, when you have ball carriers that move, as well as the Irish do, they’re going to change direction. We’re sometimes going to make mistakes, and sometimes people fall into tackles too.”
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Should have won the All ireland last season. More than likely will this season all things being equal.
@Ray Ridge: St Thomas showed the way to beat them. Nullify Philip Mahony in the game and you beat ballygunner. Seemingly their backline is getting on in age, and appears they haven’t really blooded any new backs onto their team over the last five years. Could be found wanting come Munster championship if they beat Abbeyside next week
@v5OTKkXN: The frees won it for Thomas’s. Of which several were of the soft nature. Granted, munster will be hard won. Some very good teams in it. Na piarsaigh to name just one.
@Ray Ridge: a score is a score whether from a placed ball or from play. Frees are winning most matches these days. Whoever comes out of Limerick will have a big say this year. Those extra few weeks for the county stars to be back with clubs will make a big difference
@v5OTKkXN: Thomas took a heavy beating in Galway championship tonight. Only second round of group games however.
@Ray Ridge: maybe I’ll be proved wrong but I don’t see them do two all irelands in a row. Ballyhale will be chomping at the bit in kk and Leinster this year
@v5OTKkXN: Thomas won’t be winning back to back all Irelands Jed. That’s a cert.
@Ray Ridge: who do ya think will reign in Galway this year?
@Ray Ridge: Ah tweedle dom and dee
@v5OTKkXN: I fancied Clarenbridge the last couple of seasons, but they didn’t deliver, but maybe with Donoghue back with them, they might do it this year. Loughrea, Turloughmore and of course Thomas’s are the obvious contenders.
@Ray Ridge: could you ever see the Galway champs go into Leinster club championship like the county team
@Square: talk about dumb and dumber.
@v5OTKkXN: There’s certainly an argument for it for. Would probably need to do the same with Antrim and Derry champions.
@Ray Ridge: I’d say as long as it remains a knockout championship both Galway champs and ulster teams would prefer it to remain the same, but if it became a round robin that might entice them to think differently
@Cian O: oh yes
@Square: goone full circle deep in there with CianO young man.
@v5OTKkXN: i like my liverpool fans
@Square: what about the small ball game fans? Which of them ya like?
Split Ballygunner in two for the love of the game!
@Mick O’K: was about to say split them into four
@Mick O’K: why
@David Jackman: there been talk that the club numbers are far exceeding the opportunities for players especially in underage teams. Could be a bit like when roanmore formed in the 70’s when they broke away from Mount Sion due to same reasons
Where is ballygunner
@Niall McCarthy: ballygunner is a townsland in eastern Waterford, ruled by the O Sullivan clan. That dynasty may be crumbling like the USA these days with the sending off last week of Shane O Sullivan and this week of Darragh O Sullivan. Their nephews thought, the O Mahonys may be the next rulers of the iron throne, with their cousins the Fitzgerald lad and the Foley lad as their henchmen. Time will tell
@v5OTKkXN: all of them a family a 6th or 7th generation from Ballygunner.
@David Jackman: would ballygunner be an old Viking settlement there in Waterford David? Would the old meaning Baiile mhic Gunnar be the town of the son of Gunner?