All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has fired back at Sir Gordon Tiejten's claims the 15-a-side team had too much impact on selections for the men's sevens team that competed at last year's Rio Olympic Games.
Tietjens said in his newly-released book Legacy that All Blacks staff and New Zealand Rugby didn't do enough to encourage star players such as Beauden Barrett and Ardie Savea to join the team for the campaign.
But the player both men are arguing the most is Ben Smith.
Tietjens recalled a particular meeting involving Hansen, assistant coach Ian Foster, NZR chief executive Steve and others in 2015 where the Highlanders fullback's availability was debated.
Smith stayed with the Highlanders and All Blacks following the meeting, but Hansen told media today it wasn't their influence that impacted his choice, but Sir Gordon's stubbornness.
"Yep, I did say why does Ben Smith have to play four tournaments? I thought he could've played one or none he was that good. That's the only way he was going to go because he didn't want to leave the Highlanders.
"That's what we tried to explain to him [Sir Gordon] and he made the choice himself. I'm not sure why he's saying there was no leadership - the leadership falls on his head. The conditions of Ben Smith playing - coming from Ben Smith himself - were that he was available but he didn't want to play four tournaments.
"When he [Sir Gordon] heard that he made a decision. It's his decision to make. No-one else interfered with that decision. I think he's looking for excuses personally but it'll sell a few books I suppose."
Sir Gordon's situation worsened when his squad was heavily plagued by injuries before and during the campaign as well, seeing players such as Sonny Bill Williams, Augustine Pulu and Joe Weber stuck on the sideline.
Sir Gordon and his side bailed out of the Rio Olympics in the quarter-finals to eventual gold medallists Fiji, leading him to step down as coach of the team before joining on with Samoa this year.
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