By Zinzan Brooke Former All Black

The continued furore over Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu's tackle on Brian O'Driscoll will not distract the New Zealand squad ahead of their European tour.

If you want my view, it will only fire them up.

As far as the All Blacks are concerned, the O'Driscoll issue is not a problem.

The media might want to keep harping on about it, but the ploy will only motivate the All Blacks even more.

If teams try to get up the noses of the All Blacks, I know they will be ready for anything that is thrown at them

I just don't know why the incident is being discussed again.

What's done is done and people are grasping at straws.

Whatever happens, Graham Henry's feathers will not be ruffled.

He has been around a long time, is vastly experienced and knows how to handle situations like this.

I don't think there would have been such a fuss had it been another player rather than O'Driscoll who had been injured.

He was one of two key players for the Lions - the other one was Lawrence Dallaglio but he was already sidelined - so his loss was a big blow.

The fact that he suffered his injury in the first minute of the first Test was also a factor.

O'Driscoll was a player who could have made a difference but his tour was over before it really began.

The Lions went on to lose the series 3-0, which obviously did not help either.

There was a lot of optimism in their camp but it turned out that Sir Clive Woodward was not as special as everyone thought he was.

Umaga has been criticised for his role in the O'Driscoll tackle

His team was disjointed and the players weren't good enough.

There has been talk that both Tana and Keven could face reprisals when they come face to face with Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland.

But I don't think they will be marked men.

And if teams try to get up the noses of the All Blacks, I know they will be ready for anything that is thrown at them.

They will expect physical encounters in every game against the home nations, who will be more of a threat than the Lions.

There is something special about wearing your national colour. It galvanises the players when they pull on that jersey, whether it's green, white, red or blue.

Putting the whole O'Driscoll episode aside, I am really looking forward to the series. It's going to be massive.