EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Mehrtens comes face-to-face with 'Tom Hanks' after commentary gaffe
New Zealand rugby great Andrew Mehrtens has given a hilarious explanation for his 'Tom Hanks' commentary gaffe.
Mehrtens confused Brumbies fullback Tom Banks with the famous actor in Super Rugby Pacific this season and was forced to explain himself directly to a bemused Banks in a light-hearted segment on Stan Sports' Rugby Heaven.
"Just to clarify, you called him Tom Hanks in broadcast?" commentator Sean Maloney queried inside Wallabies camp.
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Andrew Mehrtens and Tom Banks. Stan
But Mehrts had come more prepared than the finest defence lawyer.
"We don't need to clarify, I think it's a simple mistake," Mehrtens claimed.
"Phonetically, B and H have always been very close throughout human history. Of the 7000 known languages, Proto-Indo-European languages, approximately 80 per cent of them have some sort of connection between B and H. I think it was logical."
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Japan-bound Banks will start for the Wallabies against England on Saturday after holding off the challenge of Jordan Petaia for the No.15 jersey.
Mehrtens and Maloney also faced some heat from flanker Fraser McReight, who labelled the pair "wish" versions of Dan Carter and South Park character Eric Cartman.
Regarded as one of the greatest All Blacks, Mehrtens played 70 Tests and scored 967 points to rank second behind Carter on New Zealand's all-time list.
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