Steve Hansen says it’s not rush defences that are beating the All Blacks, laying the blame instead with the decision making of his playmakers.
The All Blacks coach also said it was umbrella defences, where teams come up on the outside of the first receiver and cut off the outside backs, rather than straight out line speed that was causing the team issues.
“You’re going down the wrong track if you think line speed is beating us, it’s our poor decision making against teams that are coming on umbrella defence as opposed to the line speed,” he told media in Rome ahead of the season-ending Test against Italy.
“There’s risk but there’s also reward so I guess people are challenging you when they do that to have the skillsets to cope with limited amount of time and space.”
“It’s about finding space and time to do what you want to do.”
Hansen was looking forward to seeing his playmakers tackle the Italians, which he said had the quickest line speed of any international side.
“I actually think he (Italy coach Conor O'Shea) has a defensive system that has got more line speed than any other team, they’re just hell-bent on coming forward whereas in Ireland everyone talks about them having line speed but they don’t, they appear to come and then they push.”
“Here (in Italy), they come all the way so it’ll be good.”
SHARE ME