O'Sullivan deals Umaga another hit

Tana Umaga

Just when the Tana Umaga furore had seemingly fizzled out, Lions assistant coach Eddie O'Sullivan yesterday slammed the All Black captain for his "apology" to Brian O'Driscoll.

O'Sullivan confirmed that Umaga telephoned O'Driscoll on Wednesday, their first conversation since the incident which ended the Lions captain's tour with a dislocated shoulder during Saturday's first test.

Umaga checked O'Driscoll's well-being, but didn't apologise for how it happened, which O'Sullivan said still left a bitter taste.

"To ring up and say he was sorry that he [O'Driscoll] got hurt, without offering an apology is disappointing," O'Sullivan said. "It's like kicking a ladder out from under somebody and commiserating that they had an accident.

"He was part of it, Brian is still a bit upset about that, and rightly so.

"You can't change what happened, but in the cold light of day he could have handled it better as the skipper.

"Whatever happens from here in, this incident will colour the whole Lions tour, and that's unfortunate."

O'Driscoll accused Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu of spear-tackling him, but both were cleared by South African citing commissioner Willem Venter.

Umaga fronted the media on Wednesday to say it wasn't a deliberate act, merely a reflection of how hard he played the game.

He didn't offer an apology and said it was pointless explaining his actions as everyone had made their own judgments.

O'Sullivan accepted the tackle wasn't premeditated, but said Umaga's lack of concern for O'Driscoll at the time had broken one of rugby's sacred traditions.

"Going back to amateur days, when an opposition player was injured, the captain always inquired about his well-being."

Umaga explained on Wednesday that his own team was his top priority at the time.

O'Sullivan denied the continued Lions focus on the incident would further galvanise the All Blacks, hot favourites to clinch the series in Wellington tomorrow.

"I don't think they need to be any tighter than they are. I think they're well ready for this series."

He said the incident would be forgotten when the teams ran out for the test, and ruled out any retribution against Umaga.

- NZPA