Henry faces up to the Umaga issue

Graham Henry

It took a while, but it was just a case of when the inquiry came - the "T" question.

After a spot of jousting about the All Black selections and changes for the second test, coach Graham Henry was asked once more about the involvement of his captain Tana Umaga in the incident which dislocated the shoulder of his Lions rival Brian O'Driscoll.

Henry spoke of his disappointment about the ongoing saga and the sympathy he and Umaga had expressed at the post-match media conference.

"I repeat there is no way the All Blacks go out to maim the opposition, they never have done so far as my memory is concerned, they don't do it now, it is not part of team policy," he said.

Henry went on to defend the moral fibre of his side and had to beg to disagree with Brendan Gallagher, a rugby writer for the Daily Telegraph who is also apparently penning a book with O'Driscoll.

Gallagher was adamant: he had listened to the tapes and there was never any mention of regret from Umaga after the first test.

After a bit more sparring, Henry said he would not make any more comment on the situation.

Questions came and went, and there was a liberal dash of humour, including a response to whether the All Blacks thought the Welsh would be better represented today when Sir Clive Woodward announces his side for the second test.

"I dunno what he is going to do and I'm not sure he does himself just at the moment," All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen suggested.

But the interlude only lasted a while until the conversation worked its way back to the controversy about Umaga and O'Driscoll.

The All Blacks, said Henry, understood what the "sideshow" was all about, it had been discussed briefly among the leadership group in the side but the side was not talking a great deal of notice of what was in the media.

Umaga was upset about the incident, he had shown sympathy for others in the past like Colin Charvis, he was disappointed at the outcry but was a professional who knew he had to draw a line in the sand and move on.

The coach was certain his captain, at some stage and in his own way, would speak to O'Driscoll about the incident.

"All I can say is he has a huge amount of respect in our camp, he is a top leader and a top professional and he has got my total backing," said Henry.

"I think it is an unfortunate incident. Those things keep happening in rugby from time to time which you are all aware of. I guess we could spin this out a long time.

"We are disappointed it has happened and I will repeat we have sympathy for the guy, he is a top person and a top rugby player and it is unfortunate it has happened."

Henry claimed it was a clean out at a ruck and that he had not looked at the incident in any real depth.

"But to be considered a deliberate act is ridiculous and that I guess is a bit irritating for the All Black team and the captain of the team," Henry said.

The exasperation levels were rising and it took a question from a Welsh journalist, asking if the All Blacks had already shifted their focus to the Tri-Nations because of the Lions' incompetence, to ease the tension.