Rugby: Hansen happy to let results do the talking

Steve Hansen says England's Mike Ford 'wants an arm wrestle'. Photo / Getty Images

The All Blacks forwards coach Steve Hansen doesn't often come across as a man who would walk away from a verbal stoush.

But when England defence coach Mike Ford gave him all the ammunition he needed for a decent mine-is-bigger-than yours joust by claiming the Tri-Nations was "not test rugby", Hansen did not rise to the bait.

What we got instead was a worldly, almost dispassionate articulation of the north-south divide.

It was eerie, with "You don't become the No1-ranked side in the world if you've got one bullet in your gun" about as close as Hansen came to a rejoinder.

"There were three games in the Tri-Nations that produced an average of 77 points and that, for me, isn't test rugby," Ford said.

"We want to make this a good, old-fashioned test rugby game."

Red rag to a bull? Hardly.

"I think they're just being honest," Hansen said.

"He [Ford] wants an arm wrestle. They'll be happy to go from set-piece to set-piece to set-piece.

"We can't back away from it, but it doesn't stop us playing our style of rugby as well and asking questions of them. It's saying, 'Okay, we're going to take part in your part of the parcel, but you're going to have to take part in our part of the game'. That's keeping the ball alive, keeping them moving around the park.

"You work out who can [impose their game] the best and you get a winner."

Hansen has coached test rugby on both sides of the Equator and doesn't buy into the theory that high-scoring tests lack intensity any more than he accepts that fewer points equals a lesser standard of rugby.

"I don't relate to anyone saying there's no intensity in the Tri-Nations. You've got the best three sides in the world in the rankings," Hansen said.

"You're playing a team like South Africa in Soweto and you've got to come from behind to win the game. They're a big pack, they're physical, there's plenty of intensity involved.

"The difference in the two hemispheres is the pace of the game. In the Southern Hemisphere they want to play a faster, movement style of game, whereas in the Northern Hemisphere ... the game up here is more about in-your-face, physical contact.

"It doesn't make it any more intense, it makes it a different style of game."

Suggestions that England were perhaps the most predictable team in world rugby were met with an unpredictable response.

"They're no more predictable than us. We're predictable in the way we play. We want to move the ball and use the talent and the athletes we have. They're just maximising their athletes and the talent they have. I don't expect them to come out and chuck the ball all over the park."

There has to be some doubt, with the law interpretations now giving the right of way at the breakdown to the attacking team, whether a team can truly engage in a game of inches and attrition and be successful.

The aerial route, used successfully by South Africa last year, is still an option, but the All Black back three's ability to deal with it has improved out of sight.

So expect Twickenham to host a fascinating contrast in styles.

At all times there will be intimidation, something the All Blacks will not shy away from.

"It's like life," said Hansen, the philosopher. "If you allow yourself to be intimidated you go through life meekly and don't achieve the things you want to achieve. Rugby's no different, it reflects life ... Are we going to be backyard bullies or are we going to be men and get on with it and do the things we've got to do?

"There's enough in our forward pack for us to be able to mix and match our game.

"You don't become the No 1-ranked side in the world if you've got one bullet in your gun."