Not impressed: O'Neill
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ARU boss John O'Neill has responded to NZ coach Steve Hansen's claims that Australia are stealing players as being "insulting and ill-informed".
Hansen made the assertion after the world champions' 18-18 draw with the Wallabies on Saturday in which New Zealand-born centre Mike Harris kicked five penalties for Australia.
The All Blacks coach says Australia should concentrate on developing their own talent, rather than trying to build depth by "pinching" New Zealand players.
O'Neill said New Zealand should put their own house in order before criticising Australia, adding "the comments from the All Blacks coach are insulting, ill-informed.
"I would not even want to guess how many players born in the South Pacific islands have worn the All Blacks jersey," he said.
Comments
StunTheMullet says...
Dear John, read the Rebels and Force playing roster in between swapping feet in your mouth.
Oh and why are Oztralia scouts in NZ and why was Dingo trying to get the Franks brothers to go to Oztralia along with others?
Posted 09:15 23rd October 2012
georgesmith says...
JON is hopeless CEO. Him, R. Deans and N.Sharpe should all get a kick up his back.
Posted 09:10 23rd October 2012
crunchfit says...
Wasn't Benson Stanley in the opposite situation a 2 or 3 years ago? Except he's Aussie born and played for NZ...
Posted 09:09 23rd October 2012
Isograford says...
Actually it's Mr O'Neill who's seriously 'ill informed'. Pure facts show the entire All Black squad are born and bred New Zealanders, the one exception being Ben Franks.
What Hansen is referring to is the Aussie setup pinching born, bred, and brought through the system New Zealanders. Not players how moved to a country with their parents when they were young, as is the case with Quade Cooper, and most of these Pacific players O'Neill is referring to. As it is, he's clearly ignorant of New Zealands large Pacific population born and bred here.
Now, one only has to check where a lot of the current Wallabies were born and bred (Genia, Pocock, Moore, Kefu etc etc) to see they're basically a World XV.
Posted 08:47 23rd October 2012
Melkiwi says...
Oh god are we really gonna have this debate again? Every countries has had players that were not born there so we all have been guilty of it. Hansen is just a clown for mentioning it.
Posted 08:46 23rd October 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ possum head... I suspect the number you're looking for is around 30, of nearly 1200 who've worn the Black over the years - say 4% at most c.f. the 8 foreign-born blokes who fronted in yellow at RWC 2011 (more than the often-bagged Japanese & 2nd only I think to Samoa)... and the best you can come up with is Steve Devine? Oh well at least you're not a complete moron & citing Franks, though I've no doubt the master baiter either already has or soon will...
Posted 08:36 23rd October 2012
s15rules says...
the super 15 sides here in aus enticing 1 foreign player a year as a possible wallaby rule doesnt back up what he is saying!! as long as they represent aus in the future a franchise can sign them, henry speight,winston stanley,jordan smiler,pauliasi manu,cooper vuna,willie ripia,jason woodward,scott fuglister,ed stubbs, toby lynn this is a few running around this year minus the obvious ones. Look what happened to the poms
Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wallabies/aru-boss-john-oneill-brands-all-blacks-coach-steve-hansens-claims-of-poaching-as-insulting/story-e6frf55l-1226501250874#ixzz2A6b4haqC
Posted 08:35 23rd October 2012
hellovanite says...
Hahaha I'm the pot and you're the kettle... Seriously though Mike Harris is a Kiwi through and through, at least he was 2 years ago lol... Still Hansen has to bite his tongue for fear of appearing to have eaten too many sour grapes
Posted 08:25 23rd October 2012
kenzo says...
hansen didnt really think that through did he? but still aus does need some other sort of comp to source their talent from. i dont care who did what first but i think "poaching" talent from anywhere is just weak.
Posted 08:17 23rd October 2012
krusada says...
John O'Neill is completely wrong. - many all backs have had south pacific origin, but i cant think of any who have been poached in later life (most come very young). AUckland is by far the biggest South Pacific Islander community in the world. Dont get me wrong - I think Hansen is being a complete idiot here too!!
Posted 08:03 23rd October 2012
golden_statenba says...
@John O'Neill
Of the more than 1100 players to turn out in the black jersey, 78 were born overseas, according to the respected New Zealand Rugby Museum website. Of those, 13 were born in Samoa, eight in Fiji and seven in Tonga. Two, including Jerome Kaino, were born in American Samoa. The majority of the 30 born in the islands came to New Zealand as children.
Posted 08:03 23rd October 2012