Hansen: Sonny Bill didn't know the rules
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen backed Sonny Bill Williams after his error against France, saying his star had no idea about the rule that led to his yellow card.
New Zealand held off the hosts at the Stade de France to claim a 38-18 win in their Test on Saturday.
But the All Blacks stuttered early in the second half, when Les Bleus were awarded a penalty try after Williams inexplicably deliberately slapped the ball over the dead-ball line.
However, Hansen defended the 32-year-old, saying Williams was unsure about the rule thanks to his experience in rugby league.
“The Sonny one was he doesn’t know the rules because he was playing league and in league you’re allowed to smash it over the dead-ball line,” he told a news conference.
“I got a lesson myself from Fozzie [assistant coach Ian Foster] that once you’ve committed an offence in the goal area then it’s like you’re not there, they make you invisible and they felt the French man was going to catch the ball so it was a try. You can’t do too much about that.
“It was a good lesson for Sonny, he’ll know next time to catch it rather than bat it over the line.”
The #AllBlacks have retained the Dave Gallaher Trophy with a 38-18 win over France in Paris. ????#FRAvNZL pic.twitter.com/LBlsWI0GVo
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) November 11, 2017
The All Blacks had been cruising, taking a 31-5 half-time lead before France rallied to get within 13, but New Zealand closed out their win.
Hansen said his side’s ill-discipline almost proved costly, but he was happy with the way his team dealt with the pressure put on by the hosts.
“I think we lost our discipline a little and as a result of that we allowed the momentum to shift and the French were good enough to take that opportunity and put us under pressure,” he said.
“Having said that, I was very happy with the way we fought our way through it and scored a good try at the end.
“We scored enough points in the first half to get the job done.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Excellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
1 Go to commentsMorning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
1 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
1 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
2 Go to commentsSo sad, god rest him. Too young to be gone. RIP
2 Go to commentsRIP big man 🙏
2 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
2 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
7 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
3 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
3 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
7 Go to comments