O’Driscoll slams IRB for video footage delay

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL last night criticised the International Rugby Board (IRB) for not condemning the tackle which ended his Lions tour until amateur footage they had been sitting on was broadcast by Sky television.

O'Driscoll dislocated his shoulder just 41 seconds into the Lions' first Test against New Zealand after a tackle from All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu, which he has described as a "slam-dunk." The IRB's independent citing officer, Willem Venter, decided neither player had a case to answer and took no action at the time.

But the amateur footage, shot from the opposite angle to the television coverage, appears to lend weight to the Lions' argument that O'Driscoll had been victim of a spear tackle.

It was only last Thursday two days after the Sky broadcast the pictures that IRB chairman Dr Syd Millar said the issue would be discussed at a referees forum and spoke out against spear tackles.

O'Driscoll was not looking for an apology and has drawn a line under the incident he would happily meet Umaga for a beer when the All Blacks arrive in Ireland, he told the Late Late Show but the video footage confirmed to him how badly the IRB reacted at the time.

"The video didn't change anything it was conclusive the IRB made an error in saying there was nothing in it. They had it for a period of time and only condemned the tackle when it came to light in the public arena there are definitely question marks as to why it was only then.

"I lived it, I didn't have to see any video to know what it was like. Even though it only happened once to me I remembered just what it was like and it was exactly as it was in the video. It was a dangerous tackle and I still believe that."

O'Driscoll knew the issue would be brought up again with the publication of his new book but he has been disappointed by the sensationalist coverage.

"It has been very frustrating because people are taking it out of context. It is a diary and that probably isn't mentioned enough. What is a diary? It's your emotions at that time over a year," said O'Driscoll.

O'Driscoll will be out of action until December, ruling him out of the All Blacks clash on Saturday week.

"It is not a revenge factor. I just want to play against the All Blacks at home because it doesn't happen much in a player's career. It is missing internationals that kills me."