Lions chief Warren Gatland branded ‘desperate’ and ‘predictable’ by All Blacks boss Steve Hansen
Hansen was reacting to comments from Gatland who said the All Blacks could have "wrecked" Conor Murray's career
WARREN GATLAND has been branded "desperate" and "predictable" by All Blacks boss Steve Hansen.
Hansen was reacting to comments from Gatland who complained that the Kiwi's targeted Conor Murray and could have seriously injured his scrum-half.
The two bosses have been at each other all tour and after his side beat up the Lions on Saturday night Hansen has now verbally taken his fellow Kiwi to pieces.
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Angry Hansen snarled: "It's predictable, the comments from Gatland.
"Two weeks ago we cheated in the scrums, then it was blocking and now he is saying this.
"It is really disappointing to hear it because what he is implying is that we are potentially going out to injure someone.
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"That is not the case. We have never been like that and as a New Zealander I would expect him to know the New Zealand psyche that it is not about intentionally trying to hurt anyone.
"It's about playing hard and fair. I guess he might be a bit desperate. It never will be (the way we play) as long as I'm involved with the All Blacks.
"It is really, really disappointing. We're trying to charge the kick down and or tackle him.
"Just because he is one of their key players, he doesn't have the right to go around the park without being charged down or tackled."