KEVEN MEALAMU

Keven Mealamu played all three tests in 2005 and was involved in the incident that saw Lions skipper Brian O’Driscoll hurt in the opening minute of the first test and ruled out of the series.

“Rugby is made up of instant moments. It’s a physical game and things happen in the spur of the moment. There was never an intent to hurt him. I was just trying to move him off the ball. I didn’t realise Umaga was on the other side of O’Driscoll, trying to do the same thing.

“It’s one of the reasons I didn’t go back to see how he was because it happened so quickly and I had moved on.

“I just thought it was a typical rugby movement till I realised Tana was on the side and we had tipped him up and he had landed on his shoulder.”

For Mealamu, the fallout from the incident was disappointing as it overshadowed the All Blacks’ first test performance.

“It’s not something you ever want to do – take the focus away from the team and the performance. It’s something I still feel stink about.”

But it galvanised the All Blacks going into the second test.

“We were a tight team to begin; you can’t imagine how much that drove us. What we wanted to do was to bring it back to rugby and to let our rugby do the talking.

“That test match will always be remembered for what DC did. It was Dan’s unveiling, wasn’t it? But what I remember the most from that test is missing a tackle on Gareth Thomas and he went on to score a try.”

Despite playing test rugby for 10 more years, Mealamu didn’t meet O’Driscoll till they inadvertently had breakfast together at a Hong Kong hotel during the Sevens earlier this year: “We didn’t talk about what happened but we did get to catch up. It’s the first time we’ve had a proper conversation since the event.”

WE DIDN’T TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BUT WE DID GET TO CATCH UP. IT’S THE FIRST TIME WE’VE HAD A PROPER CONVERSATION SINCE THE EVENT.’ KEVEN MEALAMU