Thuggery stretches Henry to the limit

Graham Henry

SUN CITY - Concern for the safety of the All Blacks, especially the star players Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter, has pushed coach Graham Henry into action.

Having won all his test encounters so far this season, he is preparing for a duel with the International Rugby Board over foul play.

The Herald this week revealed concern within the All Black squad.

Yesterday, Henry launched those concerns into the public arena.

He would not discuss specific incidents, and he did not indicate which areas of the game's supervision - referees, touch judges, citing commissioners, television match officials or the judiciary - he was criticising.

Nor did he feel his comments would be laughed at by opponents who claimed the All Blacks were just as guilty of foul play.

But anger at unpunished violence from Phil Waugh, Victor Matfield, John Smit and Johann Muller on All Black players has provoked Henry to take his complaints further.

Where he starts his campaign in that administrative labyrinth will be fascinating - but he could find an ally (or a decent response) from Paddy O'Brien, who has transferred his refereeing talents to IRB administration.

NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs is part of several leading committees, including planning for RWC 2011, and his influence should also be valuable.

"I think there have been some incidents in international rugby this year that I think shouldn't be in rugby," Henry said.

"You have all seen those situations and I think there is a process to go through, that needs to be dealt with, and I intend to talk to the IRB about that - and that is the right channel.

"I don't think it is the right channel through the media.

"I think you people have enough backbone to make statements about some of the things that have happened and I am sure you have."

Henry was concerned that the escalating violence in this year's Tri-Nations was damaging the image of the sport and impacting on his team.

Rugby among the top teams had a gladiatorial component but there was no place for some of the foul play which had been seen in games between the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks this season.

He would not be specific about those incidents through the media because it would only agitate some people.

"It is certainly a frustration [for the All Blacks]. I certainly think it puts real pressure on their ability to control themselves," Henry said.

"Personally, I don't think by dealing with it on the field in a physical way it is going to enhance our game or the game in general."

Asked if McCaw and Carter would face heavier targeting if the All Blacks continued to succeed, Henry said the IRB process should put a halt to that. That was why he wanted to address the game's administrators.

"I think our team is very well disciplined ... it is part of what we try and do. I would be very surprised quite frankly if others thought the All Blacks got away with foul play."

Henry was confident he could gain the support of other coaches and hoped there would not be further tension this weekend in Rustenburg.