All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says he did speak to Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. Photo / AAP

Steve Hansen has moved to explain the controversial All Blacks training camps and insisted he did, in fact, speak with Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd over the past three years.

Boyd caused something of a stir last month when he suggested he had not spoken to the All Blacks head coach during his tenure at the Hurricanes.

Hansen, speaking to Radio Sport's Martin Devlin, said that was a false statement.

"Yeah I did. We'll leave it at that we don't need to go back there."

Asked about the camps which sparked angst among Super Rugby ranks due to the disruption they will cause this season, Hansen reiterated Steve Tew's assessment that everyone was consulted and it was a result of New Zealand teams starting one week later which robs the All Blacks of preparation time.

Tew confirmed All Blacks will miss matches while some teams travel to South Africa. Others miss the start of training weeks ahead of crucial local derby games.

Two one-day camps, split between the south and north franchises, will focus on skills, leadership and game changes. Two three-day camps will be more dedicated to preparing for the three-test series against France in June.

"All three parties were given plenty of opportunity. Yes, I understand that it's not great for anybody really; it's not great for the Super clubs and it's not great for our preparation. It's just one of those things we have to do because of the way the calendar is. It won't have to happen next year because Super won't be interrupted halfway through," Hansen said.

"They're pretty harmless. They're in and out and back home.

"I have heard and read you can just rock up and beat France. I think that's totally arrogant. That's taking the All Blacks jersey for granted that you just turn up and win, and it's certainly taking the French for granted. It's not the way we believe it should be done.

"They're set up to try and help the players improve and to give them a bit of insight about where we want to go when we get to June."

While widely expected to stand down, Hansen appears in no rush to publicly declare his intentions about whether to stay on post the 2019 World Cup.

"Any decision about the future doesn't have to be made today. It'll be made on the same grounds it was last time. At the moment that's not where the priority of my thinking is but I'll still down first and foremost with my family and then the team itself and then the rugby union. Once I've done all of that it's pretty easy to make a decision but I wouldn't get too carried away with any of that at the moment."

In terms of selection for the season ahead, Hansen said the All Blacks needed 21 replacements last year and was hopeful he would not have to use too many outside those exposed to test rugby in 2016.

"The door is still open and it always will be. That's been shown in our selections over time that if someone is playing really well they'll get included. Nehe Milner-Skudder is a great example for the 2015 World Cup.

"Some players stood up and others took a little while to get going but got there in the end and we're in better shape because of that. But I would be hoping we don't have to use that many this year."

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