Steve Hansen denies Michael Cheika ‘Mickey Mouse’ jibe

David Skippers

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has denied labelling Wallabies counterpart Michael Cheika as “Mickey Mouse” at a function earlier this year, saying it was a throwaway line said “in jest”.

Hansen made the barbs at a fundraiser in Wellington in February, where he was asked on stage about Mark Ella saying “Mickey Mouse could coach the All Blacks to victory”.

Hansen responded by saying: “They’ve got Mickey Mouse coaching Aussie.”

The 2015 World Cup-winning coach went on to detail some of the ways the All Blacks have tried to get under Cheika’s skin in their recent encounters.

“Michael Cheika, who by the way isn’t a bad bloke, he just gets a bit emotional, and as you well know we thought we’d get him emotional and take his mind off the job,” said Hansen.

“The plan was not to call him by his name but just say he’s the Australian coach. Then he went on a tirade about not respecting him.

“I guess what we’re trying to do there is take his mind off the job and while I say he’s not a bad bloke, he’s got to control his emotions.

“I think he’s got a good side, he does a good job of the coaching, but sometimes he just lets himself down there.”

Ahead of their first Bledisloe Cup clash since the comments, both coaches were asked about the “Mickey Mouse” line in Perth on Thursday.

An uncomfortable Hansen said he respected Cheika and tried to clarify what he’d said at the function, claiming he was not implying Cheika was “Mickey Mouse” when he made the comment, despite the seemingly inescapable inference.

“I never said he was Mickey Mouse,” said Hansen.

“What I said was a throwaway line in jest, the interviewer said to me: “Mark Ella said Mickey Mouse could coach the All Blacks because they’ve got so much talent”.

And I said “He can’t because he’s in Australia, coaching Australia”.

“You can make a big thing out of it or you can take it for what it was, something in jest.

“I have plenty of respect for what Michael has done, end of story really.”

Cheika said he wasn’t personally bothered by Hansen’s dig but said he was a big believer in respect in rugby, and pointed to the Wallabies agreeing to a minute’s silence for the passing of All Black great Sir Brian Lochore in Perth.

“No drama for me,” said Cheika.

“There is certain things in footy that you… respect is an important thing in footy. It’s the nature of the game, you rip into each other and then you socialise after.

“I suppose there’s two ways of looking at it, there’s that way, and then there’s the other thing that goes on behind the scenes when New Zealand asked us about commemorating Brian Lochore at the match and sent me an email about it.

“And the first thing I did without hesitation was saying yes, icon of the game and at an occasion like this should be commemorated with a moment’s silence before a match.

“That’s the way I’d like to think footy goes but that’s my style, you’d have to ask them about the other stuff.”

Perhaps unaware of Cheika’s involvement in the minute’s silence talks for Lochore, Hansen later praised Rugby Australia for agreeing to honour the All Black great.

“It highlights two things; it highlights how massive he is held throughout the world,” said Hansen.

“But it also highlights some grace sportsmanship and empathy and emotional intelligence from Australian rugby.”

All Black players are set to wear specially created jerseys that will carry Lochore’s All Black number on their sleeves in Perth.