Sean Fitzpatrick: Irish eyes not smiling at the strife of Brian

I can't quite believe that Brian O'Driscoll has raised the spear tackle thing again. I know it's marketing for his book but what really blows me away is that he hasn't learned his lesson.

He carried on about the tackle during the Lions tour and all he famously achieved was to bring the All Blacks closer together and focus them even more sharply on what they had to do. It was a terrible mistake then and it's a terrible mistake now.

He's not even going to play against the All Blacks. I bet his team-mates will be sounding supportive publicly but in private will be thinking something like: "Shut up, just shut up."

I remember back in the 90s when we were playing Australia. They had a loosie with a loose mouth, Sam Scott-Young. He fancied himself as a hard nut and is remembered for blowing kisses at Olo Brown and Richard Loe when the All Blacks did the haka once - for which he got a couple of reminders when the game started. But this time Scott-Young was also sounding off about the haka in the media, calling it "their little dance" or something similar. It wound us up pretty tight and we focused on that match like nothing else.

We beat them convincingly and, when we met up with their guys after the game, a couple of them told us they couldn't believe what they were reading from Scott-Young and his thoughts on the haka. They said they just wanted him to shut up. They knew what effect it would be having on us.

O'Driscoll's words are not going to benefit his team-mates.

Graham Henry and the All Blacks aren't going to be drawn into all that. They won't talk about it - but they'll hear it and use it.

I know that the selection of the All Black party has got tongues wagging a bit. Marty Holah's omission is one talking point. The fact that so many players seem to have been chosen because they can play in more than one position is another. The 'bolters', Jason Eaton and Isaia Toeava, are another - but I have barely seen either so can't really comment.

What I will say is that I have a lot of faith and trust in what this panel are doing. They already rank among the most astute and focused of all time. I like the depth that they are creating throughout the All Black structure. It's very clever. I know, too, that not all the traditionalists will like what some will still see as the devaluing of the jersey. But I'd bet they'll like the results if the 2007 World Cup comes home.

Either way, Graham Henry will not be deflected from his main task. He is ruthless and well known for being so when it comes to selection. People remember when he got rid of Alan Whetton, Bernie McCahill and Terry Wright at Auckland. Not a lot of room for sentiment there.

And I remember best of all at the University club when Graham was coach.

For a Gallaher Shield final, he dropped our big No 8 and captain John McDermott. John was a kingpin of the side but Graham went with Glenn Young, Grant Dickson and John Hunt in a controversial move.

And we won.