STEVE HANSEN HAS explained what the All Blacks need to do to beat Ireland in a potential World Cup quarter-final.
An Ireland-New Zealand showdown is looking likely after Andy Farrell’s side beat world champions South Africa 13-8 on Saturday. The All Blacks, meanwhile, fell to an opening day defeat to France, with both sides completing all of their other assignments thus far.
The All Blacks’ 2015 World Cup winning head coach was speaking on The Platform NZ’s It’s Only Sport.
“If we want to beat Ireland, we have to be able to take them on up front, contest at lineout time, make our scrum really potent and challenge them there,” Hansen said.
“I think we need to go through the breakdown, they’re not putting anybody in the breakdown themselves, so go through it rather than trying to play wide. And then once we start going through it and we narrow them up a bit, then we can go wide.
“We have to get to [Johnny] Sexton. He’s a phenomenal player, probably the best I’ve ever seen at making the right decisions on the line who to give the ball to. I don’t think I’ve seen a player anywhere in the world or any time in the world as good as he is at offloading the ball to the right person at the right time, under pressure too I might add. We’ve got to get to him. That means anyone around him, we have to tackle. The South Africans showed us what to do there, they just tackled everybody around the ball because he could give it to any one of them. And that put them under a wee bit of pressure.
“They’re tough so we have to make sure that we’re prepared to stay in the fight, stay in the fight, stay in the fight; take the points when they’re on offer and keep ticking the scoreboard over; and try and put them under pressure from a scoreboard point of view. If we can put scoreboard pressure on them, it’s like, ‘Ah here we go again, we’re not going to get past the quarter-final.’ So that will put a bit of pressure [on] and maybe distract them away from where they need to be mentally.
“They’re a good side. Both them and South Africa are very good sides, but so are we. I think the four top teams are all capable of winning it. France have had a bit of a knockback with [Antoine] Dupont being injured, but if you have a good day, have a bit of luck, and no yellow or red card, you’re in the fight. It’s just going to be a shame to see two good sides get put out in the quarter-final.”
Hansen disagreed with host Martin Devlin’s opinion that New Zealand’s forwards can’t physically compete in a contest such as Ireland versus South Africa for 80 minutes.
“We can compete. What we’ve got to look at and say in the last few Tests [is] we haven’t and then ask ourselves why. Well, seven players hadn’t played for four weeks before we played South Africa so they’re always going to run out of petrol. Especially when they went seven and seven themselves, they had a big shift in their forward pack.
“Then again against France, they would have played two games in six weeks. It’s not enough rugby, but they took that choice because they want to build into this tournament and they’re gonna get plenty of rugby. How are South Africa and and the likes of those teams that have had lots of games in tough pools going to be travelling at the back end of the tournament? Are they going to start feeling it?”
Hansen certainly believes the All Blacks can win the World Cup.
“Yeah, why not? We’ve played South Africa, we’ve beaten them. We were the last team in the world, I think, to beat Ireland and I think we’re playing a lot better now than we were when we did that. We can beat them.”
You can watch the full interview here:
We haven’t qualified to play them yet. There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip.
@Richard Ford: who’s we ireland are new zealand but yes both not in last 8 yet italy scotland to play for both
@Sèan: Ireland.
Over the years I have heard Irish prople bemoan our English neighbours going on about winning and dismissing the opposition. We rejoice when it blows up. When I read contributors saying we will beat the Scots by 25, they are a pub team etc, it smacks of the same arrogance and hubris. To be successful you need skill, commitment, respect for the opponent, and humility. Some guys here need to get a grip. A lot done in RWC thus far, much more to do. Scotland will be another serious test. Take nothing for granted.
@seamus Beirne: but we will beat scotland by 25 plus we are far better side and this is ireland side we all should be behind and confident about
@Sèan: . There’s a difference between being confident and being stupid.
@Sèan:
The confidence I share. It is the arrogance I disprove off. There is so much subjectivity in any rugby game. No one can or should say we will win by x points. We need to be respectful towards the opposition.
@seamus Beirne: no arrogance from me im all respectful even scared of most teams but my predition only and confidence no way are any team a pub team etc others say that
So: “up the jumper to draw them in, then go wide. Take the 3 points when available. And oh, put pressure on their 10. He’s pretty good.” Groundbreaking stuff….
hmmm. I think Hansen is playing mind games here. He wants Ireland to fall into the trap of believing we are already in quarter final! He is also intentionally firing up a very disgruntled Scotland. Nice one Hanson.
@Arjuna: only nobody is really listening.
Nice words from Hansen about Sexton. Not sure I’d agree that the ABs are playing better now than they were when we beat them in the series. We played outstanding rugby on those 3 games, especially the two we won, and we only just managed to beat them.
I heard the interview. He was asked on the spot and there were no really mind games. In particular, you could tell how highly he thought of Sexton.
Neither side is in a quarter final yet.
Hopefully we can beat Scotland and then plan for NZ/Fra/Ita.
He’s not wrong. If we get to the quarters, it’s going to be a hell of a battle against them
Taught we were getting carried away dont they have italy first to play
@Sèan: they’ll beat Italy by 25 points.
@brian o’leary: they should
Ireland are definitely a better team but they have a great players savea, Jordan and Barrett in certain moments
Aidan Farrell to call Scotland a pub team just about sums up your knowledge of rugby NIL. WE haven’t beaten them so how can we talk of playing New Zealand in the quarter finals,who still have to beat a good Italian side .
@Phillip Keohane: would you stop, Italy are hopeless.
Nice to hear the compliments for Sexton. Didn’t Hansen do some work with Leinster before Lancaster came in? So he’d know him well enough.
I think Scotland and Italy will be loving this article..a complete lack of respect for these two teams having this conversation.
The last team to beat Ireland was in New Zealand, and we won the series. So fairly irrelevant. But NZ will be a serious challenge.
@Oliveraie de Paravieille: very true
Not get ahead of themselves
It’s the worst New Zealand team of all time. Make no mistake, Ireland are beating them quite comfortably in a couple of weeks’ time. How many of those All Blacks get in the Ireland team? Not many.
@Aidan Farrell: have Ireland beaten Scotland to qualify top of the group already? This is why I despise rugby fans.
@: Scotland are an absolute rabble, a pub team. Haven’t done anything in years. Ireland will beat them without breaking sweat.
@: so u pick a couple of comments that suit your narrative and run with them in order to justify despising all rugby fans. Good man. Maybe 40,000 plus. Thats a lot of people you have to try to despise. Never mind the 1m tv audience of which you were likely one. Or do you give yourself a free pass?
@Aidan Farrell: aren’t they 5th in the world rankings?