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'Pioneers' - Steve Hansen explains All Blacks mindset as intensity ramps up
By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, a man building a substantial fan base in Japan on a level with some of his players, says his side’s aim of winning three World Cups in a row is merely a reflection of New Zealand’s pioneering spirit.
After a week of preparation in Kashiwa, the All Blacks enjoyed a traditional World Cup welcome at the Zojo-ji temple in Tokyo yesterday, and Hansen, who has impressed the crowds that are following his team by occasionally speaking in Japanese, explained his team’s mindset to reporters.
New Zealand is the first nation to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups. Another in the head coach’s final months with the team would be obviously be extremely difficult to emulate.
“Trying to do things that have never been done before is a hallmark of what New Zealand people are about,” Hansen said.
“We came away from the home shores and settled in a country at the bottom of the earth. We have to find ways to live in isolation when life wasn’t like it is today.
“They become pioneers. What’s important in life, and particularly in sport, is that you’ve got to strive to be leaders rather than followers.
“We have an opportunity that no one else at the tournament gets; we can shy away from it or get really excited about it. We are really excited about it.”
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The arrival of the All Blacks in Tokyo signals the start of test week, at the end of which await the Springboks in Yokohama, and a ramp up in intensity. That includes the added scrutiny by the thousands of locals who have attached themselves to the All Blacks – a report suggested 7000 attended an open training yesterday – and the scrutiny the players and management will put on themselves.
For that reason, a week acclimatising in the more laidback environment of Kishawa was invaluable, Hansen said.
“We’ve really enjoyed it from a coaching point of view,” he told New Zealand reporters. “I know the coaches have because there’s no pressure of a game on the weekend. We’ve been able to do some stuff that we really needed to do but haven’t had the time to do because you’re always time poor when there are test matches to be played and I think we’ll get the benefits.
“While it’s been busy, it’s been good and the weather has been fantastic. So, can’t complain.”
His players have been eagerly marked as targets for photos, but so has the head coach. Hansen, who may coach in Japan next year following his All Black retirement, is just as popular and a recent report in a British newspaper said the locals had given him gifts too.
“You can get bogged down with that too or you can embrace it,” he said. “These people are bringing all these teams into their country and they want to be part of it. If you go along with that then they’re going to have a good time too.
“If you get asked [for a photo] just imagine if you said no to them. What does damage does that do to the game in Japan or the All Blacks? We have to make sure we enjoy the off-field stuff and that’s part of it. So if you just smile and say kanichiwa (hello) and arigato (thank you), they’re about all I’ve got, so just keep using those words over and over again and you’ll be okay.”
As part of the welcome ceremony press conference, Hansen wasted no time attempting to put more pressure on newly No 1-ranked Ireland, whom the All Blacks may face in a quarter-final, depending on where both teams finish in their pool.
Hansen told two Irish journalists: “You blokes are number one so you’ve gotta be the favourites.”
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Proctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
4 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
4 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
38 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to comments