Warren Gatland Not Happy With Officials Following 1st Test & Plans To Have A Word
Jason Hennessy
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Warren Gatland says he will ask the referees to clamp down on the All Blacks’ “dangerous” harassment of Conor Murray’s kicking game ahead of the 2nd Test.
Gatland was left frustrated with what he felt were deliberate tactics from the All Blacks diving “blindly” at Murray’s standing leg whenever he launched a box kick in Saturday’s 30-15 defeat to New Zealand.
This is not the first time this issue has been raised with Glasgow accused of something similar in the Heineken Cup this year. Murray is renowned for his box kicks, arguably the best in the world at it, with teams sometimes resorting to illegal tactics in order to shut him down.
France’s Jerome Garces will referee Saturday’s second Lions Test against New Zealand in Wellington, with Gatland saying he will raise the issue in meetings with the officials later this week.
“There were a couple of times from Conor Murray where there was a charge down where someone dived at his legs,” said Gatland.
“And I thought that was a little bit dangerous.
“I’ll just be asking politely that the officials look at that and make sure they protect him.”
“And after he’s kicked he’s been pushed a few times, and pushed to the ground.
“It’s just making sure he’s being looked after and protected and not harassed after he’s box kicked.
