Lions coach Warren Gatland was 'surprised and disappointed' at Sean O'Brien's criticism. Photo / photosport.nz
By Gavin Mairs
Warren Gatland is to seek a meeting with Sean O'Brien in an attempt to clarify the reasons behind fierce criticism by the Ireland flanker of the British and Irish Lions' coaching team during the drawn series with the All Blacks.
Gatland, the Lions head coach, is thought
to have been both surprised and disappointed by the comments from O'Brien, who claimed the Lions should have won the series 3-0 had it not been for the coaching methods on the tour.
Rob Howley, the Lions backs coach, came in for personal criticism by O'Brien, who claimed Jonathan Sexton and Owen Farrell were left to run the attack for the second test and also the training workloads.
There is a sense of frustration that O'Brien, as a member of the senior players' group, did not raise any of these issues during the tour while claims that the coaching team "panicked" before the first test by staging a triple training session on the Thursday of that week is also thought to be strongly disputed.
