Scotty Hansen: All Blacks assistant coach on the team named to face off against the Springboks at Eden Park

Halfback Kyle Preston is poised for a test debut off the bench for the All Blacks against South Africa on Saturday at Eden Park in the Rugby Championship.

The Crusader's backing up Finlay Christie, who's been named to start with Cortez Ratima ruled out due to an injury.

All Blacks assistant coach Scotty Hansen says experts confirmed Ratima wasn't fit to play this time round.

"It wasn't an option this week to play him." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now. The All Blacks team to face the Spring Box
at Eden Park on Saturday has been named. Finley Christie
is going to start at half back to replace Cortez
Ratima who is injured. Wallace the t t will start
at number eight to po Via has moved from loose
forward to Locke. Scotty Hansen is the All Blacks assistant
coach and with us now, Hey, Scotty, are you well?
Thanks mate, it's good to talk to again. How injured

(00:21):
is Cortez?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah? Injured enough not to play this one. He wasn't
far off at the time. It was an injury we
thought may have been a little bit longer. But he's
worked really well. He's given himself an opportunity to be
possibly available in the coming weeks.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
Are you are you being because you guys are being
a little secretive about this? A you are?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
I don't know. I don't think so at what's that? Sorry?

Speaker 1 (00:49):
What's happened to him? Is it a cut or a
sprain or is it a smashing of something?

Speaker 2 (00:53):
What's happened now with with Cortez, that's a upper body
injury around the river and the medical advice there was
in the cost of muscle and the like. It wasn't
an option this week to play. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
I regret asking you that question because I have no
idea what the idea?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
And I was hoping I knew what I was saying
like there, but and neither do I. I'm one of
these coaches that is in or not so and at
the stage is not available fair enough.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Hey, Fabian Holland, what's he done to get put back
on the bench.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Oh, he's played really well, so he's got the opportunity
to come from the bench. We just fell it with
this one. The experience that we have at our locks,
Fabian has done a great job for us. We know
we will give coming off the bench, so the opportunity
is there. And it's also one of those games here
that it's just as important how you finish. So he'll

(01:51):
come on. He'll give us a lot of power through
the middle. And we've been really pleasantly what can I say,
the really supportive around what he has done his first
number of tests. He's come on the scene really well,
this one for us coming off the beach.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Got something special plan for Ardie's hundredth test.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, Yeah, he's a pretty special man. He deserves something special.
I think for us, just focusing on this test and
winning some moments for Ardie. And we know Ardie's a
very special person, a special All Black, so one hundred
percent where we're going out there to put in performance
he can be proud of, and it's it's important.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
We do that now. Scotty, you know, fair to say
a bit of nerves, a bit of nerves out there
amongst the public about this one. How are you guys feeling?

Speaker 2 (02:40):
You know, I think those nerves are fair, and especially
when you know we've just come off a loss and
it's fear to feel the nerves. We've got an Eden
Park that we're really proud of to play on. It's
you know, it's feel backs playing at home essentially and
what that feels like field backs sort of, it's that
feeling of coming home. So it's fear to have nerves

(03:01):
and to be fear in our environment. And it's been
a week that's we've been focused on the performance and
winning moments. But there should be some nerves here because
it's a great opportunity for us. And when you're Bock's
a little bit nervous around our week in the light
that's usually we were about our best.

Speaker 1 (03:19):
It's good, good insight, Scotty best of luck, Scotty Hanson,
all Blacks assistant coach. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive,
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