Austin Healey has defended his tirade against Australian lock Justin Harrison, rejecting suggestions that his outburst cost the Lions Test series victory against the Wallabies.
Utility player Healey derided Harrison as "an ape, a plank and a plod" ahead of Saturday's decisive third Test in Sydney. The Lions lost 29-23, with a fired-up Harrison giving a superb all-round display on his debut.
Healey's attack on Harrison has provoked a storm of condemnation from Lions officials and media on all sides, with many saying the scrumhalf had gift-wrapped a team talk to the Wallabies.
But Healey remained unrepentant yesterday, writing in a column for the Guardian newspaper that his remarks had been ironic.
"Now we've lost, it's bound to be used as the reason," Healey wrote. " 'Austin's column cost us the tour.' Up mine I suppose. I don't think I'm to blame for the defeat, or Third-World debt or the Olympics going to Beijing, but it's been a weird time and anything is possible", he wrote.
"The Aussies whacked back my comments on their males, their country and my mate Justin and here I am. In the bunker, the doghouse, bad books all in one go in this country that may have uranium and opals but hasn't found the irony mine yet", Healey wrote.
Healey did find time to offer an olive branch of sorts to Harrison. "My mate Justin had a bit of a game didn't he? Of course he had the freedom of the park without me there to irritate him - well played Justin".
Meanwhile, Healey faces disciplinary action from the Lions and possibly England as well over his outburst.
The Daily Mail reported England boss Clive Woodward planned to call Healey to account.
"We don't know why the players are doing it. They are making us look silly," said Woodward, who will also speak to scrumhalf Matt Dawson following his criticism of the Lions management earlier in the tour.
The Mail said Healey faces a fine from the Lions for alleged breach of contract following the outburst, which still had coach Graham Henry fuming a day after the loss.
"Will that stupid damn guy never ever learn?" Henry was quoted by the Sun as saying.
"I was amazed that a Lions player would give the opposition the ammunition they needed to prepare for the Test," Henry added in other reports.
"I was amazed, too, that anyone would write that stuff on the morning of the game. It was effectively a team talk for the Australians.
Healey's view was probably that he would knock them off their equilibrium, that they would be thinking of other things and so lose their focus. Instead, it was ideal ammunition for them," he said.
