Journalist responds to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen's offer to take it 'outside'

A New Zealand journalist has taken to social media to defend his confronting question to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, which prompted the enraged coach to ask him outside for "a rugby education".

Andrew Gourdie, a journalist for New Zealand's Newshub television service, took to Twitter to defend his hard-hitting question and revealed he "immediately" stood up to leave the press room in defiance of Hansen.

After the All Blacks were left dumped from the World Cup in a comprehensive 19-7 semi-final defeat to England, Gourdie questioned Hansen over his side's "attitude" which prompted the coach to snap.

"I think it's quite a disrespectful question to suggest that an All Blacks team turned up not being hungry," Hansen said.

"If you want to spend some time outside, I'll give you a rugby education on that one."

The response got plenty of support on social media, with Gourdie copping a torrent of criticism and abuse, leading to the journalist's decision to defend the question that lit the fuse when speaking to Newshub.

"I think, when you consider the sort of start England made to this match — they scored early, they exploded out of the blocks," Gourdie said.

"They were dominant upfront at set-piece and breakdown, the sorts of areas you'd expect the All Blacks to control.

"It seemed like a fairly reasonable question to ask."

Gourdie didn't stop there and used the Wallabies' big win in Perth as a prime example of why he felt it was "reasonable" to take the press conference down that path.

"Especially when you consider that Steve Hansen has twice this year referenced his team's attitude," Gourdie said.

"After the defeat to the Wallabies in Perth and again after a sub-par first half display against Namibia at this World Cup."

Gourdie also argued that his question had been given legitimacy by Hansen's admission that he had asked his side to get "hungrier" in his address to the All Blacks at half-time.