Hansen not buying 'cunning' Meyer's praise

Steve Hansen and Heneke Meyer

In the build-up to the mouth-watering last-four clash at Twickenham, Springboks coach Meyer stated that counterpart Hansen is in charge of the best team to have played the game.

However, Hansen believes that Meyer is merely engaging in mind games and that South Africa are going to go all out against the defending champions.

"I think Heyneke is a very cunning man and I know what he is up to," Hansen said.

"He has been really complimentary of our team this week and there has been a lot of respect shown from him towards our guys.

"The Boks have been praising us all week, but we know full well that what they are really doing is getting ready to rip our heads off. We need to be ready for that.

"Yes, there is a friendship between Heyneke and myself, but we know what Saturday is about. The Boks will be coming at us."

New Zealand set down a huge marker by dismantling France 62-13 in the quarter-finals, but Hansen warned that any complacency will result in an early flight home.

"We haven't played our best rugby as yet. We did play really well against France, when it was a matter of life and death, and hopefully it will be like that against the Boks on Saturday," he added.

"But before that we weren't always at our best in this tournament. We know we have to be better than we were against France to beat the Boks, and that is what we are aiming for.

"The bottom line is that we don't want to have to go home after Saturday, and I am sure the Springboks have the same motivation.

"The Boks have shown good form and they have some strong points to their team, but we are right where we want to be."

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