New Zealand forwards coach Steve Hansen has rushed to the defence of captain Richie McCaw following criticism of the skipper’s style of play at the breakdown.
Stand-in South Africa captain Johann Muller was the latest opponent to point the finger at McCaw following Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash at Christchurch’s Jade Stadium.
"You want to play a fair game and you want to have a fair go at the breakdown and he (McCaw) is really making it difficult for us," said Muller after the defeat.
But former Wales coach Hansen, who guided McCaw through the Canterbury youth system, insisted the flanker was simply quicker then the opposition.
He told The Christchurch Press: "He’s that quick, he makes a tackle and gets to his feet; sometimes it’s an optical illusion. Let’s remove the emotion from it and get factual.
"It’s easy to say Richie is getting away with blue murder but, when you look at it and remove the emotion out of it, he’s actually not."
