just doubled his pay
Hansen seems to have a very dry humour which is often aimed at the press who are just searching for any to comment to take out of context. Often i have read an article on Hansen said this or that and once read seen it was nothing at all like implied in the heading. I'm sure it was just hansen keeping his mouth shut til after the judiciary....fair enough but he should have at least mentioned it looked serious, though the English press dont have to look out of their own backyard to find that kind of crap every wkd. People find it easy to knock the ABs but they just learn to take it as a form of respect, the game of rugby would have half its worldwide profile without them. For all the criticism they get for playing the game better than anyone AND in the most entertaining style of all. For all the criticism they got post 95 when not one player moaned about being sick, when they deserved respect for getting out there and playing, when they deserved to take home that cup. All the comments through time of the arrogance of the All Blacks are totally unfounded....you will not find a more humble sportsman than a Kiwi sportsman.
When the (before mccaw snatched that mantle) #1 ranked AB of all time, Pinetree Meads, and rugby's #1 gentleman, Sir Brian Lochore, both succumbed to the bug, and both stood up and defended the team....however it happened, it cant be denied. Last time it came out post game, they got criticism, this time it came out pre game(difficult to keep secret when the press are everywhere) and the ABs still cant win a trick with many fans and international press. Everyone knows a stomach bug saps your strength and not one of those players would of been at 100% by the time the match rolled round. But not one AB lamented the fact. Their reward?...yet more crap trolled out around the world all from haters JUST because they are so good. Yes, the poms played well, yes they put the ABs under pressure,...but observe some reality....England arent the best team to put the ABs under pressure this season, and pressure is nothing new to them. The uncharacteristic trait for that game was error after error...missed tackles, dropped balls, botched lineouts, some rough scrum calls(I'd argue NZ had the wood on the English scrum), and for a team that has such self belief in its own defensive system so many ruck penalties.
Whether you think the ABs were affected by any virus you hopefully make up your own mind without reading the dribble & vitriol that comes out of the english press. From what happened on the field the English clearly deserved their win. Some scribes will try to gloss over their pitiful season with this result, and maybe in such an appalling season where they played such appalling rugby....one swallow does make their winter. I will say this....great result for world rugby. I dare say even AIG is happy.
