All Blacks allege Woodcock was eye-gouged

MARSEILLE- Suggestions that All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock was eye-gouged left a bitter aftertaste to the tourists' stunning 39-12 test rugby win over France here.

Woodcock emerged from Stade Velodrome with abrasions around both eyes after the 71st-minute melee that followed Conrad Smith's try.

Several players from both sides were involved as it spilled over the sideline, and it moved All Blacks scrum coach Mike Cron and kicking coach Mick Byrne to get involved to help quell the situation.

Woodcock and French winger Vincent Clerc had to be dragged apart.

The All Blacks were seeking video footage of the incident, with early replays understood to be inconclusive.

But some in the team were incensed that a French player appeared to rake his fingers across Woodcock's eyes and in his nose.

There were no immediate reports of any citings from the test.

French coach Marc Lievremont admitted he saw little of the incident and did not appear too concerned at Cron and Byrne's involvement.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, who was involved in a separate stoush with a French player, played down suggestions that he had been kicked in the head area.

"That's not why I reacted, I just got caught in a horrible position and I was trying to get out of that and the fella underneath me felt I'd done something to him," McCaw said.

"I don't think there was any reason for that happening but that's why it started.

"I wasn't aware of any eye-gouging or being kicked or anything like that. It may have happened but I wasn't aware of it. It was a bit of frustration on their part, reacting to something."

- NZPA