RTE’s interview with New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen after Ireland’s 21-9 defeat to the All Blacks was very awkward.

RTE’s Clare McNamara pressed Hansen on his side’s physicality, but the All Blacks coach refused to call his side “dirty”.

The All Blacks saw Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa sent to the Sin Bin during the game. Sam Cane also had a high tackle on Rob Henshaw that resulted in the Leinster centre being substituted after 10 minutes.

In his interview with RTE after the game, Hansen said he was worried by the team’s penalty count, but was happy with the defence that saw Ireland fail to cross the tryline.

He said: “They played really well. They should be proud of their performance, as we are of ours. Two good teams going at it. As I said before the game would start; ‘It’s going to be a tough Test.'”

“We had to get our defence right and stop them from scoring five tries, so it was nice to keep them scoreless. That was the difference in the game. Three tries to none.”

When asked by reporter Clare McNamara if he thought his side’s physicality crossed the line, he felt the tackles on Henshaw and Simon Zebo were just part of the game.

“This is a moving game. The first one was a head-clash. There were no arms involved in it all. The one on the far side was obviously a little high… I don’t think there was any malice in it.

“Rugby is a shifting game, when you have ball carriers that move, as well as the Irish do, they’re going to change direction. We’re sometimes going to make mistakes, and sometimes people fall into tackles too.”

After being pushed on the tackles, Hansen asked if he was supposed to give out about his own team, due to those tackles.

“Do you want me tell you we’re a dirty side or something? Is that what you’re saying?”

Steve Hansen gives his post-match verdict to @rterugby: "Do you want me tell you we're a dirty side?" https://t.co/pb0YIIqZd7

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) November 19, 2016