Mixed feelings on another black day for witch-hunter Brian O'Driscoll

I do feel sorry for Brian O'Driscoll but what do you expect coming from a French club team there as bad as the South Africans in fact i wouldnt be surprised if the nutbag French coach made a few phone calls insisting those players take O'Driscoll out?

The Ayatollah Laporte is at it again, claiming that the Kiwis are just too knowledgeable, and asking for stricter refereeing. Would that include goosing? If so the French would have hardly ever won a game against anyone, including the cheating, bleating, opium pushing, slave traders, because they would have as hard a job as Shaw staying on the field. As for the BOD thing, the Irish gave as good as they got, from my observations.

but not intentional; how many tinke do we have to watch NZ players resort to violence, your a second rate nation if you really think that....

At the end of an interesting and very open-minded article, it's a pity Delia made such a, shall we say, sympathetic comment that the infamous spear tackle on O'Driscoll was 'dangerous but not intentional'! How can a spear tackle ever be accidental? Furthermore it was the only such tackle I have ever seen that was very late.

Hi Graham and Mark. I hate violence on the rugby field and I acknowledge of course that the spear tackle on BOD in 2005 was dangerous and awful. However, things can be done in the heat of the moment that are unintentional. That was all I was saying. Did you know Geordan Murphy himself spear tackled someone (can't remember who) in that same Lions tour, but didn't have the wrath of the world on his shoulders. I don’t support violence of any kind. Just suggesting that it may not have been intentional (only Tana and Mealamu truly know this) and that the witch-hunt afterwards on Umaga was just as unattractive as the spear tackle itself (especially considering it was implemented by man that had a big hand in the lies involved in taking the UK to war). Also – New Zealand is not the only country at fault from time to time when it comes to random acts of violence on the rugby field – you must admit. Whatever way – judging my words as being representative of a nation is also a bit second rate Mark. Get some pers

aow!!!!! leave da maori boy alone,BOD deservd wot he got,hes a moaning lepracorn n.e way.. hweva hes a good rgby plya, but TANA UMAGA RULZ, 4 eva... rimutaka rams, mean maori mean!!!!!!!

how can a punch not be intentional you idiot! New Zealand are the dodgest team in the world an i hope they lose badly in the world cup

It is important not to paint all players with the same brush just because they play for the same country. How many times has Danny Grewcock been sent off for foul play? What about the French ripping a testicle from Buck Shelford's scrotum? Johan Le Roux biting Sean Fitzpatrick's ear? It is important to realise that this is a widespread problem. This latest punch would've come from a frustrated player who never made it in New Zealand. Rugby is an emotional sport and heaps of players tempers flare, it is unfortunate that this ended up the way it did, but it is unrealistic to think just because this guy who wouldn't start for a New Zealand provincial team means that the full New Zealand side are dodgy.

Having a cry over the net isnt going to solve anything NZ didnt cry like little girls when Tuqiri spear tackled McCaw and that was far worse he could have broken his neck. Ireland arent going to win the world cup anyway pretty sad when you rest your hopes on one player whos nothing special its just because hes in the ireland side he shines. Little ray ray with the poofta name its just sour grapes little girl!

Tuqiri spear tackled McCaw and got banned. Tana and Mealamu spear B O'D and nothing, nothing at all much as I dislike Woodward and how the aftermath was handled. You only get 'hounded' if you run and Tana and Mealamu sure did run. Tana did not even come over to check on the condition of his opposite number not the behaviour of an innocent man. Look at the clips when B O'D was receiving treatment Tana sheepish cowering with the AB pack. Nonsense and all of NZ know it which is why Kiwis bang on about the spear tackle more than the Irish or Clive Woodward ever did. I've not met a single Kiwi who on meeting an Irish man does not try to rise the issue only to make light of it and final to deal with the issue which is that two NZ players took an opposition paler by the legs and drove him into the ground, no ball was being competed for play had moved on. You can talk and defend and delude yourselves and then do the Haka in your backyard. End of the day the prevailing image of NZ rugby is your captain and his budd

This ridiculous rant does little to help the image of the New Zealand rugby follower. Once again, O'Driscoll is nailed off the ball. Once again NZ rugby is turned into the victim. And we have a nice strawman set up. If you feel like whinging, confine it to "grievances" that have already occurred, not imaginary ones like conspiracy claims that haven't been made. Ask Tana or Tewhata whether they would prefer criticism or a dislocated shoulder or fractured sinus. Nobody expects rugby internationals to behave like teddy bears. But it's a bit unedifying that instead of do-the-crime do-the-time, you get a load of whining that suggests the perpetrator has been hard done by.

End of the day the prevailing image of NZ rugby is your captain and his buddy picking a man up by the legs and driving him head first into the ground then running away like scared little school boys. I also note that Tana did not have the guts to play in Dublin the following year. The big scared babys.

Have you ever played rugby lamb its not cricket you cant just stop and have a chat the game was still going on and do you think it would have mattered if he played the whole series the All Blacks made fools of that pathetic team. Scared little boys im sure the All Blacks were real scared of a few pasty Irishmen your a fool. Tana Umaga has achieved twice O'Driscoll wilh by the end of his career i mean he will never taste victory over the all blacks and hes won a the six nations something the good side of the globe wouldnt give 2 shits about!

Typical Kiwi Brad, defensive, isolated and ignorant. Thanks for helping me prove my point :o) By the way you being a big rugby expert the British and Irish lions are made up of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. It's odd that Kiwis claim to care so little for the 6 nations but talk about it so much in unrelated threads. Small man complex stuck at the arse end of the world on two little Islands crushed by the shadow of your much more likeable and sporting Australian neighbours. IT a thought life Brad it's a tough life but, there will always be the Haka I hear you boys pratice it in fornt of the mirrow so as to prefect your scary face. Decendents of European settlers doing a Mouri war dance, have you ever seen Bob Hope in Paleface, as convincing as a white guy with dreadlocks.

What ever Tana Umaga had achieved is long forgotten the world remembers Tana Umanga for picking up a fellow human being and driving him head first into the ground. The last time I saw Tana Umanga he was hiding in the stands at Lansdowne road not man enough to play. Last I head he was doing a few months for the big bucks in some tiny French club after retiring in shame from the international game. A broken man, forgotten.

[quote]"Tana Umaga has achieved twice O'Driscoll wilh by the end of his career" True, BOD has yet to get away with almost killing an opponent in a game. He has something to play for. [quote] i mean he will never taste victory over the all blacks and hes won a the six nations something the good side of the globe wouldnt give 2 shits about![/quote] You'd give all your spear tackles to play in the 6 nations, and not some pokey little shitty tri nations event. which is why you're gonna choke in this world cup too...

I'd like to finally end the debate. I did not spear tackler B O'D with the help of a big dumb prop called Kevin. What we did was a 'spear clearing out at minus two phases'. Let me explain the concept. You need two players (I tried it by myself at phase -1 i.e. I tried to lift the fella by myself while while play had moved on one phase) but I was not able too. This is why you need two players to execute this very technical play (you don't need a ball or anything like that) you grab a leg each and lift until the victims (I think you can also refer to them as players) legs are where his head should be when his head is a few feet above the ground then you just drive him into the ground head first. Easy. Next you have to run away and hide. Best to leave the country if you can go to Europe play for some little nothing French team and get paid lots of money.

Well we know a fraud 'Tana' you give yourself a way in the first line, Kevin is a hooker. We also deduce you are not a Kiwi through your sublime ignorance about our game. Shoot off mate.

Dai, The All Blacks did play all the 6 nations teams over the past couple of years and beat the lot - see you at RWC!

I love NZ Culture - you Spell Maori wrong, just as you assess New Zealand wrongly. Consistent winning over 100 years can only be the result of superior play. Which is proven superiority to anything from the NH. That is a fact established over 100 years.

NZ has what: So you speak for the world? Impossible mate. You speak only for yourself. More rational people recognise Tana's sportsmanship, such as his award for helping the injured Colin Chavis.

NZ has what: So you speak for the world? Impossible mate. You speak only for yourself. More rational people recognise Tana's sportsmanship, such as his award for helping the injured Colin Chavis.

Mark - NZ a second rate nation? Certainly not in this game of Rugby. Through out recent history NZer's out perform many in world leading endeavour ie Ed Hillary, Kevin Roberts, John Walker, Peter Snell, Team NZ Yachting and the list goes on! Per head of population this country producers plenty of champions.

Tewhata is a rugby player. It is not acceptable to isolate him as villain, these bigots who have replied in this article regarding NZ rugby simply don't understand the game. Every country and most teams in every country have players that punch and do far worse. It is accepted as part of the game by the players themselves. For example where did the 99 call start? Wales?? (Was it?) Get you facts right.