Focusing on O'Driscoll affair could backfire, says Henry

The Lions could have shot themselves in the foot with their constant reference this week to the Brian O'Driscoll affair, says All Blacks coach Graham Henry.

The incident in last Saturday's first test in Christchurch has been raised all week by the Lions management, most recently by assistant coach Eddie O'Sullivan, unhappy that Umaga had not offered a suitable apology.

Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu's cleanout resulted in captain O'Driscoll being injured out of the tour.

Henry fielded more questions about it today, on the eve of the second test here. He said O'Sullivan's outburst yesterday was clearly part of a media campaign led by Lions media co-ordinator Alastair Campbell to stretch the controversy as far as possible.

"I'm sure it's all part of the policy of Mr Campbell...he gets another person to say the same thing the next day," Henry said.

"I guess it's irritating that everyone has to read that stuff all the time."

However, Henry believed it would backfire on the tourists as his team had not appreciated the constant bad light thrown towards their captain.

"I don't think there will be complacency, the opposition have certainly talked this test match up and that's been helpful.

"I'm sure they're going to be on edge when they run out on Saturday so I don't think that will be a problem."

Henry said the All Blacks hadn't bothered to paste some of the more inflammatory headlines onto a wall in the team hotel as motivation.

Umaga said the issue had been an "annoyance" and said the game itself would provide relief from a forgettable week.

He said he had received moral support from his teammates.

"They have closed around me a bit and the senior players especially have tried to rally around me," he said.

"We're trying to make sure everything is running smoothly, we don't change anything and we go about our business the best way we know how.

"We just have to live with these things, there's not much else we can do about it other than not read the paper, watch TV or listen to the radio. So that's pretty much what I've done."

- NZPA