Wallabies 'super happy' to see Ireland beat All Blacks as they fire back at Hansen

The Wallabies say they were “super happy” to see Ireland beat the All Blacks as they fired back at Steve Hansen’s claim that playing Australia hadn’t prepared his team well to face Europe’s best.

Hansen said earlier this week there was a noticeable step up required during the Rugby Championship against the Springboks compared with the Wallabies, who were “not quite right”.

Those comments prompted Wallabies defence coach Nathan Grey to speak about his delight at Ireland beating the All Blacks for the first time on the Emerald Isle.

"[I'm] super happy for Ireland to get that win,” Grey told the Daily Telegraph in London.

"We've beaten them [the All Blacks] a couple of times in the last couple of years so yeah, it's great for Ireland to get their first win at home against them." 

Grey also defended the Wallabies’ record in recent times, saying the gap between the top sides in international rugby was close.

"You've got to look at the big picture and identify that the top six, seven nations in the world at the moment, if you're not on your game you're going to get beaten.

"There's opportunities to beat any team in the world at the moment. You've just got to make sure it's the team that's going to be the most consistent in delivering how they play because if you're off you're going to lose and we've shown that against New Zealand a number of times.

"Other teams have against them as well."

Hansen said there was a noticeable step up required this year against the Springboks, who had been fodder for the All Blacks in recent Rugby Championship campaigns.

"There is no doubt the style of game that is played by South Africa is similar to the style played up here (northern hemisphere), " he told reporters.

"I still believe Australia are a really good rugby side. There is definitely something missing because they are not quite right and are not performing to the level they can.”

"But the more we play teams like South Africa, Ireland and England, France which we have done this year it is good for us. We have had a bit if a preview so to speak."