THE FINAL WHISTLE
MARK KEOHANE: All Blacks finished because of a drawn series? Nonsense!
"Social media’s pitchfork mentality has focused on the brilliance of the Lions and the vulnerability of the world champion All Blacks"
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen was all class in victory, defeat and in a draw — and New Zealand will be stronger in their 2019 World Cup defence because of the drawn three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions. Social media’s pitchfork mentality has focused on the brilliance of the Lions and the vulnerability of the world champion All Blacks. I do not quite get that because there wasn’t a series winner and in the context of three Tests the All Blacks scored more points and more tries than a Lions squad promoted as being the best to have been assembled in the professional era. If this Lions squad, benefiting from the best talent from four countries, is that good, then what does it say about the All Blacks? Hansen, after the first Test win, said the match was closer than a 15-point differential. He did not look for excuses when his team lost the second Test to a contentious 77th minute penalty, despite playing with 14 men for 50 minutes. The coach did not moan when the All Bl...
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