Heat rises on O’Brien over ‘sour grape’ views

CONTROVERSY continues to swirl around Leinster and Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien following his incendiary review of the Lions tour to New Zealand. Warren Gatland’s side were widely lauded for drawing the series against the world champions last summer but, last Wednesday, O’Brien claimed they could have beaten the All Blacks 3-0 if they had been better coached. Citing poor preparation before the first and third Tests, which the Lions lost and drew, respectively, O’Brien also singled out attack coach Rob Howley for special criticism. The Tullow man’s comments were refuted by Lions chief executive John Feehan on Thursday and are understood to have incensed the Lions management team. It is believed head coach Gatland made contact with O’Brien yesterday while there was scathing criticism of the Ireland flanker in Wales for breaking ranks. Legendary Welsh and Lions winger JJ Williams, a star of the successful 1974 tour to South Africa, said O’Brien’s observations felt like ‘sour grapes’ and took away from a notable achievement. ‘The bottom line is that the All Blacks don’t ever get beaten 3-0 in New Zealand,’ he said. ‘It’s arrogant in the extreme to say that would have happened if the coaches had been different. It is out of order and it smacks of sour grapes,’ he added. England coach Eddie Jones refused to give an opinion when asked yesterday, beyond saying the Lions was a ‘magical mystery tour’.