Woodward names team, rubbishes punch-up story

Clive Woodward says there is no truth in claims that Scotland hooker Gordon Bulloch (pictured) and Ireland prop John Hayes exchanged punches. Picture / Fotopress

Lions rugby coach Clive Woodward has rubbished reports of a punch-up between his players at training, saying it was nothing more than an accidental clash of heads.

Woodward addressed the media before an open player interview session in Wellington today to quash stories in British papers of disharmony in the tour squad.

It was reported that Scotland hooker Gordon Bulloch and Ireland prop John Hayes came to blows which led to Bulloch needing stitches to a head wound.

Woodward said headlines such as "Civil War" which appeared in Britain were "totally out of proportion".

The incident occurred at Monday's open training session in Christchurch "in front of 1000 people", Woodward said.

During a live contact session, the front rowers clashed heads and Bulloch left the field immediately to have his head wound bandaged.

Woodward said he was staggered to read reports of a punch up, and said he prided himself on being open and honest with the media.

"There hasn't been a single incident, and if there had been I would have told you about it," he said.

"Maybe there should have been (an incident). We would have been better prepared for the Maori game." The Lions lost 13-19.

Today's speech from Woodward came as he sought to mend bridges between the team and the 50-strong British media contingent.

He met with two senior British journalists yesterday to address their dissatisfaction with limited access to players for interviews.

Woodward reacted by calling an unscheduled player interview session today before the team departed for their Christchurch base.

Reports of a punchup weren't the only things being fended off by Lions management after reports that they had cancelled nearly all their public engagements in Otago this weekend ahead of Saturday's match against Otago.

All that remained was a player autograph session on Sunday.

Assistant coach Ian McGeechan last night said it was about managing the players' workloads.

"The community work is still going on, it's just been rescheduled so that we can get quality time for the players," McGeechan said.

"There's been a lot of effort going into the community programme. The last thing we want to do is step away from that.

"But the players have been putting in some very long days. Last weekend for example, they were out with me on the training park at 8am and they were returning to the hotel at 2am the next morning.

"It's actually just trying to get balance and re-look at the schedules without cancelling anything or without disappointing anyone.

"That's the last thing we want to do. We want people in each area to have the opportunity to meet and be with the players, and we certainly would not want to take that away."

* Meanwhile, the Lions team for the match against Otago at Carisbrook on Saturday night has been named.

Team:

Geordan Murphy (Ireland), Denis Hickie (Ireland), Will Greenwood (England, vice-captain), Gordan D'Arcy (Ireland), Shane Williams (Wales), Charlie Hodgson (England), Chris Cusiter (Scotland), Ryan Jones (Wales), Martyn Williams (Wales), Lewis Moody (England), Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland), Simon Shaw (England), Matt Stevens (England) Gordon Bulloch (Scotland, captain, Graham Rowntree (England).

Reserves: Steve Thompson (England), Andy Sheridan (England), Danny Grewcock (England), Simon Easterby (Ireland), Matt Dawson (England), Ollie Smith (England), Ronan O'Gara (Ireland)

- NZPA