“If you hate coaching, don’t do it,”

All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has turned up the heat several notches ahead of New Zealand’s clash with Warren Gatland’s Wales next month. Hansen has told his fellow Kiwi and coach to ‘quit coaching’ if he can’t handle it.

His comments come in the wake of Gatland saying he hating coaching the Lions this summer, and that he would never return after his experience touring New Zealand.

“I’ve only just heard it (Gatland’s comments) because I don’t read too much about what coaches are saying and doing.” Hansen told New Zealand’s Radio Sport:

“Why would you hate coaching the Lions? If you hate coaching, don’t do it,” 

“Welcome to our world. You are under constant pressure, constant scrutiny. People expect you to be able to front up and do the job well.”

“In the All Blacks’ case, we are expected to win every Test match and win it well. People expect you to be able to front up and do the job well. Our fans, our country expect us to aim high, to play well, they expect us to win. I love that.”

Hansen says those expectations are necessary in order to be a successful side, and that he has loved coaching every team he’s been involved with.

“You don’t want to change those expectations – they drive your own inner expectations to be even higher. It drives that necessity to want to always be better.”

“I’m lucky enough to coach the All Blacks, which is fantastic, if you are lucky enough to coach the Lions it is also fantastic.”

“I love coaching any team I’ve been involved in – that’s the reason I’m doing it.”