Woodward admits mistakes over Lions
Clive Woodward has admitted he “wasn’t himself” and got “fundamental things wrong” on last year’s British and Irish Lions tour.
As head coach, Woodward oversaw a miserable trip to New Zealand last summer as the Lions were thrashed 3-0 by the All Blacks.
Woodward was offered the job after guiding England to World Cup glory in 2003 but he adopted different methods for the Lions and he concedes they did not work.
Woodward, now Southampton’s director of football, told BBC Radio Five Live: “I just wasn’t myself. I was so conscious of trying to keep everyone happy and not cause any problems.
“One of the Ireland players had a word with me one day and said, ’We’re just all disappointed – you’re trying to be too diplomatic’.
“I regret not being myself. I didn’t know the players well enough, I wasn’t making the tough calls.
“I tried to be too clever and too diplomatic. I got some fundamental things wrong and all I can do is apologise. I’ve got to live with that.”
The most controversial incident of the series surrounded an injury to captain Brian O’Driscoll after a tackle by All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga and Kevin Mealamu in the opening Test.
O’Driscoll played no further part in the series and the resulting furore, particularly with the New Zealand pair escaping unpunished, dominated the rest of the tour.
Woodward said: “The O’Driscoll incident was massive – in no way was that just one of those things.
“To see them not even cite the players involved – it just wasn’t right.”
