THE All Blacks were all in a tizz yesterday about photographs that supposedly revealed back-line moves to be used in Saturday night’s Bledisloe Cup Test, but the Wallabies couldn’t care less.

Source – Rugby Heaven and News24

A New Zealand agency photographer took a shot of All Blacks coach Graham Henry at training holding a page of notes, which was published in several newspapers.

The paper, in the handwriting of All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith, was presumed to show several New Zealand attacking moves but the All Blacks inferred they were Wallabies moves.

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen said the publication of the photograph had broken a trust between the team and the media.

”There’s not too much we can do about it,” Hansen said. ”The good thing about it was yesterday was a defensive training day so we won’t have to change our tactics too much.”

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans had not seen the photograph until mid-afternoon when the Herald showed it to him. He laughed. ”I understand it was a Kiwi photographer, so I do find that amusing,” Deans said. When the Wallabies saw the photo, several were amused.

NZ Reaction

Steve Tew says there will be “no spiteful” reaction from the New Zealand Rugby Union after a photographer deliberately exposed the All Blacks’ game plans this week.

Christchurch-born photographer Scott Barbour, who now lives in Melbourne, supplied Getty Images with close- up photos of tactics being carried by All Blacks coach Graham Henry at training.

The photos were printed in several Australian newspapers and on the internet yesterday and today.

Last night Tew, the NZRU chief executive, acknowledged the union had contacted the photo agency, which has a commercial agreement with the union and pay a licensing fee to be official photographers, to express their disappointment, but rejected reports they were talking to their lawyers.

“There is no suggestion we will take legal action. We will obligate our contract with them. There will be no spiteful reaction and people are not going to see a knee-jerk reaction.”

However, it appears unlikely the NZRU will be keen to provide the agency with extra favours after this incident which has annoyed the All Blacks management. It could affect their relationship when the contract rolls over.

Barbour, a freelance photographer based in Melbourne, won the prestigious award in the sport category at the World Photography Awards at Cannes, France, this year. He started his career as a teenage freelancer for the Christchurch Mail.

Tew said there had been no discussions about revoking Barbour’s media pass to cover future All Blacks trainings, although team manager Darren Shand yesterday stated the photographer might be blacklisted.

“This breach is disappointing but in the short term no harm has been done,” Tew said. Although he added the incident was “not the end of the world”, Tew said there was an element of trust when media attended trainings.

“We think it is important to be open. But at international level the margins that separate the teams are so marginal that the smallest thing can make a difference.”

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans skirted the topic but quipped: “I understand it was a Kiwi photographer, so I do find that amusing.”

Barbour could not be contacted for comment last night.