Umaga and O’Driscoll shake hands after Nice meeting

1,518 days since THAT tackle, Tana Umaga and Brian O’Driscoll shook hands for the first time yesterday.

Some 50 months ago, Umaga and Keven Mealamu ended the Dubliner’s 2005 Lions Tour in controversial fashion after 60 seconds of the first test at the Jade Stadium, Christchurch.

Their meeting came not as some UN-patrolled safe zone but at a training ground at Nice Rugby Club on the Mediterranean where the Heineken Cup champions continue their pre-season preparations.

Umaga is the backs coach at French club Toulon, and had gone to Nice to meet some friends.

“I have friends over there and one of them at the rugby club just said, come down to the ground,” explained the New Zealander.

“I had no idea Brian was going to be there. When we got down there, my friend said, ‘I’ve got someone for you to meet.’

“I was a bit reluctant because I saw the Leinster boys there and didn’t want to be a nuisance.

“But when I got there, Brian came up and we just started chatting. It was good to catch up.”

So what was it like? Was it uncomfortable for both?

And did either of them mention you know what?

The former All Black skipper smiled: “It wasn’t uncomfortable chatting with Brian at all.

“It was good to have a chat about how things are going for both of us.

“We didn’t mention 2005 and the Lions tour. It is a long, long time ago.

“In the end, it is invariably other people who talk about the past, not the players.

“I just enjoyed the chat with him.”