18-07-2005, 06:24 PM
From the Sunday Times Column ...
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Quote:CLIVE Woodward did some mighty stupid things on the Lions tour of New Zealand, but his biggest blunder may have been hiring Machiavellian spin doctor Alistair Campbell.
A former PR man for Tony Blair, his first mistake was to try to wring every ounce of criticism from the British and Irish media over the Brian O’Driscoll “spear tackle” incident. It was an ill-considered smear campaign. As if rugby hacks could be fooled by a grubby political animal.
Campbell continued to bumble on, but the controversial spinmeister truly came into his own with a spectacularly appalling ambush that has only just come to light.
After Welsh centre Gavin Henson, one of the stars of the Six Nations, was left out of the Lions Test side, Woodward took a lot of heat and there were reports that Henson was furious.
No worries. Campbell quietly suggested to Woodward that he and Henson “privately” take a quiet walk together, to demonstrate the absence of a rift. The picture was duly taken and the PR man, presumably thrilled with his creative instincts, ensured it was distributed. Poor Henson hadn’t a clue.
Campbell’s limp defence was that it was a “positive thing to do for the player”.
Due punishment would be a return trip to New Zealand — preferably straight to the bottom of a ferocious ruck.