Steve Hansen Mocks Warren Gatland With Some Savage Mind Games

‘Gatland is not going to have an epiphany.’

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says he can see Warren Gatland’s Lions game plan a mile off. He has also dismissed Gatland’s comments stating that All Black fans are arrogant. He says their fans have high expectations for their team and the same can be said for the Lions this summer.

“There is a massive amount of excitement with our fans,” Hansen told The Times.

“Our fans are pretty well educated and even though Gats has called them arrogant, I don’t think they are arrogant, I think they are well informed and have high expectations of us. And they know that this Lions squad is one of the best to have been picked for a long, long time.

“The Lions have got a lot of expectation of their own — 30,000 people are coming out to support them and they are coming out in expectation of their team playing really well and winning the series.”

As for Gatland’s game plan, Hansen says the All Blacks are assuming Gatland will go for his usual game plan.

We’ve got a thing we call ABCs of rugby — Assume some things, Believe nothing until we Confirm them. We assume Warren’s not going to have an epiphany and change the way he plays but we’re only assuming that, we’re not believing it until we see them play and, with a tour, you do get to see the opposition play a bit, so we’ll be able to confirm one or two things prior to that first Test.”