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England prop Will Stuart set to miss Six Nations after ruptured Achilles
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Hansen hints at why the All Blacks lost final Bledisloe match
Steve Hansen remains content in his New Zealand squad despite Saturday’s 23-18 defeat to arch-rivals Australia at Suncorp Stadium.
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The All Blacks lost to the Wallabies for the first time in eight games in Brisbane as the hosts made the most of sodden conditions to give Stephen Moore a winning send-off in his final Test on home soil.
Beauden Barrett was a sorely felt loss for New Zealand, with replacement fly-half Lima Sopoaga failing to bring the same verve in the playmaker position.
But Hansen will not be looking for fresh options when his side tour the northern hemisphere next month, insisting the defeat does nothing to alter his plans.
“I probably could have told you the touring squad before tonight, and it hasn’t changed,” Hansen told reporters.
FT | What a Test match! Australia hold their nerve to pick up a hard-fought win over the #AllBlacks in Brisbane. #AUSvNZL pic.twitter.com/7GWPaJv4lV
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 21, 2017
On the reasons for the defeat, he added: “There were a few things I could put my finger on but I won’t talk about them here.
“We will talk about them when we are sitting around video footage as a team.
“But if a team doesn’t click between your forwards and your backs, which we didn’t tonight, I think we really struggled.
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“There’s a lot guys – that is their first loss in the All Blacks jersey.
“It’s an experience that you just don’t wash away, you take the time to absorb it and learn the lessons from it.”
New Zealand will take on the Barbarians, France, Scotland and Wales in November.