- Title: 'Gut-wrenching': Emotional All Blacks reflect on England semi-final loss
- Date: 27th October 2019
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 27, 2019) (REUTERS) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH STEVE HANSEN AND ASSISTANT COACH IAN FOSTER ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE HANSEN GREETING MEDIA NEWS CONFERENCE STARTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, SAYING: "This England team hasn't just snuck up and poked us in the face. They won 18 games in a row. There is only one other team who has done that over the history of the game so that makes them a pretty formidable side. We played them last year and we managed to win that game by point - I can't remember what the score was - but it was a titanic struggle. They are a team that were coming into this tournament, or the last four years really, with a massive amount of pain themselves. The adversity of not making even the quarter-finals from their own tournament, it hurt them. They have been working their butts off, probably more so than any other team, so we got what we expected." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, SAYING: "They don't play a sophisticated game; win the ball, give it to the big bloke and run hard. Win that collision. It is rugby in its simplistic form but it is beautiful in the same sentence. They used their big man to the full extent they could. When you win a collision you go forward and the game has never changed from the first time it was ever played to the last time it was ever played; the team that goes forward will win the game." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, SAYING: "Is it hard to stomach? Of course it is. It is gut-wrenching because we want to win the thing but so did they. Sport isn't fair. Life is not fair so why would sport be fair? You don't always get the thing you want and when you don't you have to measure your character on how you deal with that." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, WHEN ASKED WHO HE CALLED AFTER THE MATCH, SAYING: "I don't mind you asking. I called my wife. (Stops to compose self and drink water). We had a bit of a chat then spoke to Ted (former New Zealand head coach Graham Henry) and Conrad (Smith) about '07 and we mentioned the fact that it is no different. It is the same gutting feeling." ALL BLACKS LOGO NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN KIERAN READ (CENTRE) WITH FULLBACK BEAUDEN BARRETT AND LOCK SAM WHITELOCK AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN, KIERAN READ, SAYING: "Also the fact that it was my birthday yesterday, I get back to the hotel room and there are cards from my kids waiting for me. It changes things, puts things in perspective. It is a rugby game. People care, we care, so you enjoy moments... For me I am a dad and that is first and foremost the thing I want to be remembered by." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 10th November 2019 05:49
- Keywords: New Zealand England Rugby Union Rugby World Cup Steve Hansen Kieran Read Japan
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2VEYBJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An emotional Steve Hansen acknowledged on Sunday (October 27) that losing their World Cup semi-final to England was still "gut wrenching" the day after they suffered the 19-7 defeat but they had not been surprised at how well Eddie Jones' team could play.
The All Blacks were beaten in every facet of the game on Saturday (October 26) at Yokohama Stadium and put on the back foot from the opening whistle, with centre Manu Tuilagi smashing over for a try after just 98 seconds.
It ended the All Blacks' 18-match unbeaten run at the World Cup since they last lost to France in the 2007 quarter-finals.
While Hansen admitted they were outplayed he said his coaching staff knew what was coming for them as England produced a massive defensive effort and dominated the breakdown and collision areas.
Hansen, who is leaving the role after the World Cup, appeared to almost let his emotions get the better of him when he was asked about his reactions immediately after the whistle when he was seen on the telephone.
"I rang my wife," Hansen said before he paused and took a drink of water. "We had a bit of a chat."
He added that he had also talked to former coach Graham Henry and centre Conrad Smith about their quarter-final loss to France and the similarities in experiences.
Captain Kieran Read was also emotional when talking about the loss and coming back to the team's hotel after the match to read birthday cards from his children. Saturday was Read's birthday.
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