Lions Tour: Steve Hansen criticises 'disappointing' Herald cartoon, praises Gatland

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Greg Bowker

If relations between Steve Hansen and Warren Gatland were a little frosty in the aftermath of the first test, they will have thawed somewhat after the former gave a compassionate reminder in Wellington that he has nothing but respect for his adversary.

Hansen, who is a skilled and tactical media operator, enjoys more than most coaches the opportunity to float ideas and theories about opponents in the public domain.

He's been in full swing since the Lions arrived, making several observations that have irked Lions coach Gatland - none more so than his early prediction that the tourists were going to call up a handful of players midway through the tour to bolster their ranks.

The intensity of those exchanges increased in the days after the first test when Gatland accused the All Blacks of having a deliberate intent to hurt halfback Conor Murray and Hansen responded passionately in a radio interview to deny such an accusation and suggest it was only said in desperation.

In covering the events on Monday, the New Zealand Herald carried a caricature of Gatland as a clown in their Tuesday print edition - the third time in which the paper has dressed up an international coach in such a way.

The cartoon drew widespread media criticism, especially in the UK, and has also drawn a negative response from Hansen, who made it clear that personally ridiculing Gatland like that was "disappointing" and "undeserved".

"I think it is really disappointing," said Hansen. "It is one thing to have a bit of banter and then you guys beef that up to make it bigger than it really is.

"I have heard you say that I don't like him and we won't have a beer together. Look, I have got a lot of respect for him and I think he is a good coach and I have got a lot of respect for the Lions who I think are a good team.

"To come out and do that [publish the clown cartoon], you are ridiculing somebody who doesn't deserve it and at the end of the day, we are all coaches trying to do something that we think is right.

"Sometimes people don't always agree with what we do but that is okay, you are allowed to have your opinion too. But to ridicule someone is not right so it is a bit disappointing."

Hansen, aware that the series is still very much on the line, was keen to put the brakes on the escalating storyline pitting him and Gatland as arch enemies.

Having enjoyed what was a brilliant test in Auckland where both sides contributing to the drama and spectacle, he, like Gatland, would prefer for the rugby to be the centrepiece rather than any perceived tension between the respective coaching teams.