New Zealand deny faking injuries

Graham Henry: Unimpressed

All Blacks coach Graham Henry has angrily hit out at suggestions that some of his players have faked injuries to avoid the clash against Japan.

The hosts will be sans star players Richie McCaw and Dan Carter as well as full-backs Mils Muliaina and Israel Dagg for their second Pool A clash against the minnows in Hamilton on Saturday.

Some have claimed that the players are faking injuries so that they can be fit for the important clash against France on September 24.

Henry, though, has rubbished the claims, describing it as “ridiculous”.

“There’s no truth to that idea at all,” he said.

“Some people have got very fertile minds. That’s not the case, it’s ridiculous.

“They’re minor injuries and we have taken the precaution not to play them because we don’t want to make them worse, it’s as simple as that. We’d be taking a risk if we played them and we can’t afford to do that.”

The winner of Pool A will face either Argentina or Scotland in the quarter-finals while the second-placed team will most likely take on England in the last 16, but Henry insists he is not ‘resting’ the quartet.

“It’s just that they could make those injuries worse if they play (Japan) and that’s why they’re not playing. It’s nothing to do with not playing anybody next week,” he said.

He added: “If it was the last game of the tournament and you had adequate back-up you might play them,” he said. “But there’s six games to go and we just can’t afford to take that risk.”

Japan coach John Kirwan also played down suggestions that the players are faking injuries.

“I’m disappointed for them, obviously they’ve picked up a few niggles, but it doesn’t change anything for us,” he said.

“Things like that are probably a coach’s worst nightmare. It creates disruption and certainly doesn’t help your build-up, but the All Blacks have been together enough and played together enough I don’t think it will affect them too much.”

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