Tri-Nations
All Blacks 'game plan' out
2010-07-28 07:48
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Melbourne - The All Blacks on Wednesday slammed a press photographer whose candid snap left secret tactics for their Tri-Nations clash with the Wallabies splashed across Australian newspapers.
Officials said the photographer had breached the team's trust after he pictured coach Graham Henry holding diagrams of defensive game-plans for Saturday's game.
Photographs of the fully legible manoeuvres with scribbled notes were printed in Melbourne's Age and national daily The Australian.
"At the end of the day you guys and photographers come to training and there are a few unwritten rules and the photographer has breached the trust," said assistant coach Steve Hansen. "There's not too much we can do about it."
The gaffe comes before Saturday's crunch match, which could go a long way towards deciding the Tri-Nations title after both teams went unbeaten in their opening games against South Africa.
Hansen admitted New Zealand would have to adapt their tactics after the revelation but said it would not prove decisive in the match in Melbourne.
"The good thing about it (is) yesterday was a defensive training day so we won't have to change our tactics too much," he said.
"There are a whole lot of things that are going to happen on Saturday night and I don't think one photo is going to make too much difference."
Australia assistant coach Jim Williams claimed he would not consult the photo as the Wallabies attempt to end a seven-match losing streak against their main rivals.
"I wouldn't read too much into it myself and I wouldn't bother looking at it. It's just a picture of training," he said.
The episode recalls golf's 2008 Ryder Cup when European captain Nick Faldo was embarrassingly snapped holding a list of his opening pairings. Europe later lost heavily to the United States.