Millar enters O'Driscoll saga Umaga breaks silence over tackle

Ireland coach O'Sullivan also said if New Zealand had handled the situation better it would have blown over by now.

"Brian had a call from him and he just kind of commiserated with him being injured as if he had nothing to do with it," said the Lions assistant coach.

"I think it was an opportunistic tackle and he knew exactly what he was doing."

O'Sullivan, who is also Ireland skipper O'Driscoll's national coach, said that his skipper's tour is over and it ended in a very bad way.

"I think Brian is still upset about that and rightly so," he said.

"You can't change what happened in the cold light of day but he could have handled that better as New Zealand captain.

But their reticence to deal with it has dragged it on more than anything Eddie O'Sullivan

"We can park it there if you want. Things do happen in battle and I accept that and I don't think it was premeditated.

"We've all had our take on it and this Lions tour will be remembered for this incident.

"I'm disappointed rather than surprised. If the New Zealand players and, in particular, Umaga had dealt with the problem afterwards it would have been done and dusted by now.

Its time for Umaga to say 'Sorry it was a bad tackle, hope you get better soon' From BBY Have your say on Scrum V

"It's a very unfortunate incident. He has to hold up his hand. He was very lucky to get away with it.

"If he had said 'look I'm sorry, it happened in the heat of the battle' it would have passed.

"But their reticence to deal with it and hide behind it, has dragged it on more than anything."