Rugby: Tana Umaga and Sonny Bill Williams shut down Brian O'Driscoll talk

Tana Umaga knew the Brian O'Driscoll questions were coming today. So, it seemed, did Sonny Bill Williams, and the pair quickly shut down any talk of the controversy from back in 2005 and the tackle in the first test which sent the British and Irish Lions skipper out of the tour.

The first time the incident was brought up following the naming of the Blues team to play the Lions at Eden Park, Umaga, the All Blacks captain on that bitterly cold night in Christchurch 12 years ago, gently steered the ship back to his current team and the unique opportunity they face.

The query came in a very roundabout way via a writer from Britain's Daily Telegraph, who opened with: "Looking back at 2005, what does the Lions series mean to you...", which Umaga countered with: "I knew we were going to talk about 2005 but that wasn't the question I was expecting but thank you for that.

"Back then, as a player... it was very special to be a part of the team to play against the British and Irish Lions. The real focus for us - we had success back then but that was back then. It's a different group now, it's all about 2017 and a 2017 Blues squad that's going to go up against them. We're just looking forward to making sure it's all about these guys and what they need to do."

The conversation meandered between Williams' knee issue which has him bracketed with TJ Faiane at No12 - the word is Williams will almost certainly play - the 20-year-old Stephen Perofeta at No10, and the one-off nature of this match against the Lions, a final meaningful game of the season for Umaga's men as the Blues will not feature in the Super Rugby playoffs.

Tana Umaga. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Finally, after about 30 minutes, a Daily Mail writer asked for a "second bite of the cherry", wondering aloud whether Umaga could "recall" the "memories" of the tip tackle made by him and teammate Keven Mealamu which resulted in a dislocated shoulder for O'Driscoll and a whole lot of bad feeling from Britain and Ireland.

"Mate, let's just leave it alone," Williams said.

Umaga added: "That would be a 'no'."

There were fireworks before and during the Provincial Barbarians match at Whangarei's Toll Stadium at the weekend as the Lions limped to a 13-7 victory and that is likely to continue, in all respects, at Eden Park on Wednesday.