EX-ALL BLACKS captain Tana Umaga said he had made peace with Brian O’Driscoll over his infamous 2005 Lions tour spear tackle – but suggested the row was overplayed by spin doctors.
The New Zealand great told AFP he’d “buried the hatchet” with Ireland’s O’Driscoll, the then Lions captain whose tour ended when he was picked up and dumped head-first to the deck just seconds into the first Test.
“As you can see he obviously got over it, he’s back playing,” said Umaga, who carried out the tackle with team-mate Keven Mealamu, dislocating the Irish centre’s shoulder.
We’ve buried the hatchet. We’ve spoken a couple of times and have bumped into each other,” added the 39-year-old, during a coaching stint at the Hong Kong Tens rugby tournament.
The tackle sparked a war of words between the New Zealanders and the Lions, with O’Driscoll calling it a “cheap shot” and reportedly complaining about Umaga’s lack of apology at the time.
An independent citing commissioner ruled that the All Black pair had no case to answer, further angering O’Driscoll and then Lions coach Clive Woodward.
Some commentators in New Zealand suggested that the Lions camp was trying to divert attention from the side’s poor performance in New Zealand, where they lost all three Tests against the rampant home side.
“We moved on, obviously (we) did very well in that series and it (the row) is a bit disappointing, but it’s obviously what they wanted to achieve,” Umaga said.
They probably wanted something to override their disappointing performance over there.”
O’Driscoll is in disciplinary hot water of his own this week as he is facing a citing hearing today for stamping on Simone Favaro in Ireland’s 22-15 Six Nations defeat by Italy.
The 34-year-old was playing what is thought to have been his last game for Ireland. He is tipped to announce his international retirement after this year’s Lions tour to Australia.
Saturday’s yellow card was only the second of a glittering 14-year career, including 125 caps for Ireland.
He should of been banned for a year both of them! That was a life ending challenge! What a disgrace of a man!
This incident was a black mark for NZ rugby, the players concerned and the citing commissioner. It eventually had the ” tip tackle/ spear tackle” outlawed as a unacceptable way to try and take out any player in a rugby match, not something someone should be proud of or even attempt to justify or excuse.
Are ye gonna do an article on Isa Nacewa?? Terrible news…
As much as New Zealand are an amazing team there is a very ugly side to their game. Does he think if that tackle was reversed that odriscoll wouldn’t have been cited for it. They do some horrible things during games and more often than not get away with little or no punishment. Don’t really understand why he brought it back up and then said something stupid like this
I wouldn’t worry about a man who thinks it’s cool to beat up a team mate with a woman’s handbag.
Dead right, get over it!
Why is Umaga bringing it up again?
thats the thing BOD has as far as I know only spoken about it at the time (felt for him having to sit at Woodwards OTT press conf) and mentioned it in the lions diary he published (it’s a diary you are obliged to mention it)
Umanga has brought it up a few times over the years – most notable when he borught it up durning the 2007 WC to sell his book
how the citing officer cam to the conclusion that there was not case to answer in beyond reason. About time Umanga put his hand up and admitted it was as BOD said at the time – a cheap shot
The tackle was bad enough without a card but not getting cited unbelievable
well bod may have forgiven him but I haven’t. the most cynically pre-meditated act ever seen in rugby, and I include harlequin’s bloodgate in that. for once I agree with everything woodward said. to call it sour grapes makes it even worse.
That was a horror tackle i would have given him at least 6 games suspension
no more different than anglo saxon thuggery both the maoris and brits deserved each other