OPINION: I've been searching for this Sally woman Steve Hansen says has her knickers in a twist over the All Black training camps.

"We can get all Sulky Sally about it or we can get on with it, you know? It is just the way it is," Hansen said on Monday.

But Sally is proving just as elusive as Susie, the All Black-poisoning waitress.

I seek her here, I seek her there. Nowhere is she to be found.

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Not one of the Super Rugby coaches is a woman. Not one of the Super Rugby chief executives is a woman.

So who is this Sally woman that has caused Hansen to lash out?

Either she's sulking in private, or Hansen has used a woman as a metaphor to describe the attitude of men to his camps.

Of course it was a throwaway line, yet Hansen has off the top of his head used words with gender negative connotations, to paint male opponents as cry babies.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen's comment about Sulky Susan belongs to a bygone era, writes Kevin Norquay.

Why use a term that demeans women to argue his point, when no women are involved?

For a moment, I thought I'd found Sulky Sally, but no – close but no tiara – in 1938 children's author (and sexist xenophobe) Enid Blyton wrote a book called Sulky Susan.

Hansen's words belong right there, 80 years in the past.

He has been adamant the camps are needed as preparation to play France, though Super Rugby clubs have been worried about the effect it has on their squads, as well as players getting hurt. 

KAI SCHWOERER/GETTY IMAGES

Steve Hansen speaks to his players during an All Blacks training session at Linwood Rugby Club this week.

Fine, that's a fair debate. So have a fair debate. Only thing is, Hansen is quite obviously over it.

"I know I am repeating everything I told you earlier in the year, but am happy to do it again," Hansen said on Monday.

Why he had to invoke a sulky woman to make his point is as mysterious as what goes on in the front row of a scrum.

Here's some men's names he might have used – Compliant Colin, Candid Chris, Injury-Stricken Scott. But no, Sulky Sally it was.

PHIL WALTER/GETTY IMAGES

Steve Hansen oversees the All Blacks at an Auckland training camp.

NZR should despatch an agent from its respect and responsibility unit to kidnap Hansen, put him in a training camp and reprogram his mindset.

He should emerge – to quote the NZR – with an understanding "that promotes mana enhancing and respectful relationships between people".

Sensitive New Age Steve. Nice.

 - Stuff