All Blacks coach Graham Henry today hit back at British and Irish Lions' "propaganda" saying it was a motivation for his players going into he second test in Wellington tomorrow.
Lions’ media consultant Alastair Campbell has been at the forefront of a concerted attack after the alleged spear-tackle that ended captain Brian O'Driscoll's tour.
All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu escaped punishment over the incident, which happened less than two minutes into the match in Christchurch.
But Lions management have successfully kept the episode in the media spotlight since last Saturday. It continued yesterday with critical public comments from coach Eddie O'Sullivan, while Campbell had a full page article published in today's edition of the Wellington-based Dominion Postnewspaper.
Henry though, whose team will win the series with one game to spare if they triumph at Westpac Stadium tomorrow, has clearly had enough.
"I don't think there will be any complacency from us," he said, referring to his team's build-up this week.
"The opposition have certainly talked this Test match up, which has been helpful. I am sure it is all part of the policy - Mr Campbell, and his policies. I guess it is very irritating for everyone who has to read that stuff all the time, but I guess that's what he gets paid to do."
Henry claimed he was not a coach who pinned newspaper cuttings on the dressing room wall as a source of motivation, but added pointedly: "There would not be enough wall space to put all that crap on anyway, so why bother?
"I guess we have grown up. We have got to go out there and perform, we know what we have got to do.
"We realise we have got a wounded Lion, and a wounded Lion is going to be a difficult beast to handle. We are well aware of what the challenges are."
Umaga will inevitably be a centre of attention when he runs out tomorrow, and he admits it has not been the easiest week. "It has been a bit of an annoyance, really, but I think we have to live with these things," he said.
"There is not much else we can do about it, other than not read the papers, watch television or listen to the radio, which is pretty much what I have done.
"The support from the boys has been very big. They have closed around me a bit, and the senior players, especially, have tried to rally around me. It seems to be the easiest thing to do now is play the game. What happens in between is a lot tougher."
Despite the comfortable nature of their first Test success though, both captain and coach expect a much more severe examination against a much-changed Lions outfit. "I think it is a very good Lions team," said Henry.
"They have obviously gone for all-out attack, they have picked the form players and they have picked guys with greater pace in the forwards."
And Umaga added: "We prefer to play on a dry track with a dry ball, and we will hope to try and give the ball some air. It looks like with the way the British and Irish Lions have selected their team, they have picked a side to do that as well."