All Blacks: Hansen attacks Deans' remarks

Irish flanker Stephen Ferris says Richie McCaw sohuld have been yellow-carded last weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Debate on the haka has been unusually muted on this northern hemisphere tour, but two other historical talking points today emerged to add an element of All Black tetchiness to their Grand Slam finale with Wales.

Richie McCaw's alleged immunity from referee prosecution and the legitimacy of the All Blacks scrum are both in focus ahead of Sunday's (NZT) clash at the Millennium Stadium, though notably neither gripe was aired by their hosts.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and Irish flanker Stephen Ferris found common ground when criticising aspects of New Zealand forward play, and drew a predictably prickly response from All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen.

The Irishman's assertion that McCaw should have been yellow-carded during the final quarter of last weekend's 38-18 win in Dublin was given short shrift by Hansen, who also turned on his former coaching colleague at Canterbury for accusing the All Blacks of unspecified "trickery" at the set piece.

After believing his much-maligned pack had finally been adjudicated fairly in last weekend's Italy in Florence, Deans claimed the Wallabies were undermined in the Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup test they won because Irish referee Alain Rolland had been influenced by the New Zealander's superior reputation at scrum time.

Deans fumed: "They don't scrummage. They just manipulate, they play the referee constantly. It's all about trickery."

McCaw responded to his former mentor's charge by musing: "Perhaps a bit of pressure does that to you.

"I think you've seen over the years it's a part of the game we put a lot of work into."

Hansen was more forthright labelling Deans' assertion as "laughable".

"Rob's obviously under a bit of pressure. He seems to always fall back and talk about New Zealand when he's actually involved with Australia.

"I just dismiss the comment. It's a man trying to divert attention from his own team and himself."

Confronted with Ferris's demand for his compatriot Alan Lewis - who controls the All Blacks this weekend - to use the sin bin when Welsh ball is impeded, especially by McCaw, Hansen again went on the offensive.

"That's starting to become quite boring too," he said of the regular targeting of his captain.

"Richie's the greatest openside flanker in the game and he probably knows the rules better than the referees do," he said, undeterred by the number of penalties conceded while Ireland were trying to rally.

"It's one thing to be penalised but when you look at some of the penalties they're not correct. The referee's made the wrong decision," Hansen said.

He also claimed McCaw had unfairly been perceived on television as the perpetrator every time he exercised his right as captain to seek clarification from South African referee Marius Jonker.

"Every time Rich went and spoke to the ref about a penalty - and it's usually involving somebody else - you hear 'There's the ref talking to Richie McCaw again, he should penalised, he should have been yellow carded'.

"It's actually becoming quite boring, and I think quite disrespectful," said Hansen, before explaining that McCaw acted properly at the breakdown.

"When you make a tackle and get up and you're on their side of that tackle he's entitled to be there until a ruck's formed - and a ruck's not formed until two people are bound over the ball."

McCaw typically adopted the diplomatic response he has perfected during a record 93 test caps: "You play what you're permitted to play.

"It's really important to play the ref, you have to understand your limits."

Meanwhile, Hansen reiterated the belief Wales would be a genuine impediment to the All Blacks completing a fourth Grand Slam, and third since 2005.

Despite winning only two of their last 12 internationals - and drawing with Fiji last weekend - Hansen agreed with head coach Graham Henry, and a host of players, that a new-look Wales would rise to the occasion.

"Anybody that is put under the spotlight, and the scrutiny and the criticism they have been after that (Fiji) performance will be dangerous - and a lot of those players won't be there on Saturday."

- NZPA