IRELAND’S RONAN O’GARA has shrugged off comments by Steve Hansen after New Zealand’s narrow 22-19 win over the visitors in Christchurch on Saturday.
Hansen, the All Blacks’ coach, said that Declan Kidney’s men had reached their peak during the game, which was only settled by a late Dan Carter drop goal.
Fly-half O’Gara refused to be drawn on the comments and said that Hansen was merely emotional after a tough game.
O’Gara said: “A lot of that, you can read into it after an event. You could say that it is condescending but I don’t think it was meant like that.
“We all speak with emotions sometimes and that was what Steve felt at the time. I would have no problem with that.”
The 35-year-old – who could start the final Test, with Jonathan Sexton moving to inside centre to replace the injured Gordon D’Arcy – admitted that the Irish side was shaken up after losing the opener 42-10 at Eden Park, and was delighted with the response.
“Ireland did play well the other night,” added the Munster man.
“The All Blacks were probably in second gear and they had every reason to be in second gear because of the way we played at Eden Park. It is only natural. Steve was probably relieved to get over the finish line as you could see an edge to them.
“When Dan Carter kicked the drop goal, you don’t often see that with the All Blacks, so you could see what it meant to them. Fair play to them. They squeezed out a winning position from, probably, an un-winnable position with a man in the bin. That is what they deserve all the credit for.”
