Matt Stevens replies to New Zealand chief's claims

15/06/2008

Matt Stevens bit back at Graham Henry over the New Zealand chief's claims that England tried to wreck the First Test.

The Bath prop claimed Henry was wrong to accuse England's pack of deliberately messing up the scrum by collapsing it at Eden Park.

Henry, who has always been keen to rub English noses in the dirt before, put the boot in after watching his team pick up where they left off against Ireland.

The All Blacks pack more than held its own against England's hardened performers.

But Henry was less than impressed with some of the tourists' antics, insisting: "It would have been a better spectacle if both sides scrummaged properly and stood up.

"But one lot were falling down at times and it wasn't pleasing to see. There was a lot of passive scrummaging going on.

Hopefully, it will be different in Christchurch." But Stevens, who was his usual powerful self in the front row, hit back: "I didn't see it like that. I didn't see any passive scrummaging.

"We certainly didn't collapse the scrum or drag it down. In that way, I disagree with Graham Henry.

"It was very competitive and physical up front. But it always is. There were no problems from what I saw and I expect the same in the second Test. But next time we have to take our chances and not allow them to take control for 15 or 20 minutes." Captain Steve Borthwick knows that only a massive improvement can stop them losing the series 2-0 in Christchurch next Saturday.

Borthwick, who is desperate to prove to new head coach Martin Johnson he is the right man for the job, insisted: "It's clear we have a lot of work to do in a short time.

"We have to lower our error count. But the guys know they can do a lot better - and I'm confident we will in the second game."