10 Jun 2012

Hansen full of praise for All Black debutants

8:41 am on 10 June 2012

The All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has begun his tenure in charge with an emphatic 42-10 victory over Ireland in Auckland.

The men in black were simply too fast too strong and too clinical for the visitors and ran away with the match after absorbing a furious start from the Irish in the first 15 minutes.

The three debutants played with aplomb, wing Julian Savea becoming the first All Black to score a hat trick on debut since Sitiveni Sivivatu in 2005, while halfback Aaron Smith was a standout and lock Brodie Retallick fought hard in the engine room.

Hansen says the debutants did the black jersey proud.