All Blacks aim to give TMO a night off

Otago Daily Times

08-07-2025

By Jamie Wall of RNZ
All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen says the team has come up with a simple approach to stop the frustratingly constant interjections of the Television Match Official - give him nothing to do.
Three All Black tries were denied by the TMO in their 31-27 win over France in Dunedin on Saturday. And while all were fair calls, the disruption it caused for players and spectators has seen plenty of consternation vented on social media.
"We have to improve, the All Blacks have to improve," Hansen said at the team's training base at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport in Trentham, Upper Hutt, today.
"Let's take away that error at the breakdown. Let's take away the ability for him (the TMO) to feel he needs to come in. So our challenge is to give the TMO an enjoyable evening for a cup of tea. (If) we're really clinical and we're executing well, he can enjoy his evening."
Two of the All Black tries were scrubbed out for handling errors and the other for an obstruction, with culprit Pasilio Tosi agreeing that "we've got to be squeaky clean in the area".
"You know, they're always watching… like my one and I ran into the to the French player, you know, I need to be mindful of, not getting in the way, you know, obviously it looked like that. I did a little push there, but at the at the end of the day… he's going to make a decision. I just need to be better in the area."
While the attitude to simply aim for perfection is commendable, two teams playing flawless test rugby for 80 minutes is unlikely.
The main frustration with the viewing public is how often the TMO interjects themselves into games, especially after a Super Rugby Pacific competition that saw their roles limited to only the most necessary assistance to the on-field referees.
Meanwhile, Hansen said while the All Blacks were unhappy about the amount of points conceded in the first test, they held a great deal of respect for an "outstanding" French defensive effort in Dunedin.
"The care in the group, (they're) highly respected around the care that they have. You look at them in the Six Nations, their coaching, the philosophy around defence, the way they recover.
"They do defend a wee bit differently than New Zealand teams and what we've seen in Super (Rugby Pacific)… the challenge for us is to be better in how we attack it."
The other challenge will be to figure out just what a likely much-changed French team will bring.
Coach Fabien Galthié has brought down 37 players for the three-test series and if he is going to use all of them, he will have to roll out a new side for the test at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
However, Hansen said the All Blacks will be wary either way.
"They're young, they're excited and I've talked around them having no fear. So whether or not they took confidence out of that or not, that's for them to decide.
"What we saw was an excited, inexperienced French team that were proud to play for the country. But what we've also been through, and the excitement of the series, is we get to play them again." All Blacks v France
Kick-off: 7.05pm Saturday, July 12
Sky Stadium, Wellington