KEY POINTS:
The incident has already been dubbed "O'Driscoll 2".
A day before flying home to have his injured groin treated, furious Springboks captain John Smit has pulled no punches about the incident in which he was lifted and dropped by All Blacks lock Brad Thorn.
The injured Smit has
accused the All Blacks of demanding preferential treatment while teeing off on every controversial element to emerge from last Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby test in Wellington.
Thorn was suspended for a week for "unsportsmanlike conduct", ruling him out of the second test in Dunedin on Saturday.
It was a charge and punishment that left 2007 World Cup-winning skipper Smit shaking his head.
"Just imagine (Springboks lock) Bakkies Botha doing something similar to (All Blacks captain) Richie McCaw. World rugby would have come to a standstill," Smit told South African journalists today.
"Yes, I'm angry. I'm really not happy about having to sit in South Africa and watch the Springboks beat the All Blacks in Dunedin."
Smit was in a forgiving mood immediately after the test but four days to reflect had changed his tune on the incident.
His bitter comments raised memories of the fallout three years ago when touring British and Irish Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll was ruled out of the series early in the first test at Christchurch courtesy of a lifting tackle.
All Blacks tacklers Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu were never punished, which drew the ire of O'Driscoll and Lions coach Clive Woodward.
"One almost gets the idea that anyone who is not from New Zealand does not have the same rights as someone who plays for the All Blacks," Smit said.
"I was suspended for six weeks after a test match in France for running into someone with my elbow held in front of me. It was not nearly as nasty as what happened to me last Saturday."
Charges of foul play during last Saturday's test have been made by both camps.
The All Blacks believe their star first five-eighth Daniel Carter was a target for foul play, particularly from Springboks opposite Butch James.
Smit could not fathom the post-test insinuations of All Blacks coach Graham Henry.
"A few seasons ago, Graham Henry asked everyone not to tackle Richie McCaw. Now Richie is injured and Henry is asking everyone not to tackle Dan Carter.
"If everyone can only realise no one is above the rugby laws, we can all move forward."
Smit was unhappy with the refereeing of Australian Stuart Dickinson, believing Springboks coach Peter de Villiers was correct in accusing the All Blacks of illegalities at scrum time.
"I kept mentioning it while I was on the field," Smit said.
"I think he (Dickinson) got tired of me saying it all the time and he eventually decided to award a penalty to us."
Smit, who will also miss next week's test against Australia in Perth, was frustrated that his long-held personal ambition to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand would have to wait.
- NZPA