Sir Steve Hansen talks about the Lions Howler: “All we wanted was an apology”

It’s been a long time, but former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen finally got off the hook on the controversial reverse penalty that cost his team a shot at a series victory over the British and Irish Lions in 2017.

Hansen is the inaugural interview with former Black Cap and recently anointed Medalist Bert Sutcliffe Ian Smith on his new show, ‘The Pod’, on Sky Sport (broadcast Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Sky Sport 3) And it doesn’t disappoint if the teaser released on the broadcaster’s social media channels is something to go through.

The veteran All Blacks coach, who ended a 16-year partnership with the team at the end of last year’s disappointing World Cup campaign in Japan, has shrugged off World Rugby’s lack of what he deemed an appropriate response. to the howl of the referee who finally decided the series.

A fascinating and controversial series ended blocked at 1-1 when the third decisive test at Eden Park ended in a 15-15 draw in contentious circumstances.

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Referee Romain Poite’s 78-minute decision effectively decided the competition when he changed, under video review, a penalty to the All Blacks from a handy spot to positions in an accidental offside scrum. At that time, the contest was ready at 15-15.

He had initially awarded a penalty when Lions hooker Ken Owens, from an offside position, played on a ball that left fullback Liam Williams in the air. The Lions player seemed to surrender as the transgressor at the time.

But Poite was persuaded to go to TMO to review the call and ultimately changed his decision, despite the fact that there is apparently no evidence that he does.

At the time, Hansen refused to condemn the decision and did not accept any direct criticism when asked by the media. Even since his retirement, he seemed reluctant to point the finger, saying in a recent interview that the decision had been “frustrating” because “it was so obvious to everyone, but nobody wanted to admit it.”

But Hansen told Smith on the first show of his new series that he was very disappointed by World Rugby’s apology for the howler and revealed that the global body’s only communication with him about the decision had been an insistence that it was the right decision. .

“I have always understood that the referee will make mistakes. So he was wrong and he was wrong,” the double World Cup winner told Smith from his home in Christchurch.

“What bothered me most about that incident, and that it still does to this day, is that we have not received an apology from World Rugby.”

“We have been told … well, one person in particular has told us time and time again that the decision was correct. However, we all know it … everyone knows it; it is not.

“We have had conversations [with Romain] and we just said, ‘keep going, Romain, you can’t change it, it’s not your problem.’ “

Hansen then revealed what he believed should have been the correct course of action.

“All we wanted was for the head of the rugby referees to say, ‘Look, I’m sorry, we were wrong.’ And then you can turn around and tell the players, ‘OK guys, the decision was wrong, but we just I have to do it “.

Gatland has recently raised a possible one-off test between the All Blacks and Lions ahead of their 2021 tour of South Africa as a potential moneymaker on the way back to international rugby.

Hansen recently said that he supported such an accessory, but noted that it would not be “decisive” because the respective teams would be very different.

As the recently appointed gentleman coach pointed out, refereeing errors are an integral part of the game. So are apologies when mistakes are made.