BRIAN O'Driscoll has hit out at South Africa coach Peter de Villiers following controversial comments that suggested the Springboks coach condoned eye-gouging.
De Villiers said he felt Springboks flanker Schalk Burger did not warrant a yellow card after he made contact with the eye area of British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald during last Saturday's second Test. Burger was subsequently cited and bann
ed for eight weeks, and De Villiers issued an apology for his post-match remarks.
But Lions centre O'Driscoll, who flies home injured from the tour today, said: "When I heard those comments yesterday I wondered how someone can get away with something like that.
"Irrespective of any apology, I find it an absolute disgrace that a coach of a national team can make comments as he did about gouging being part of the game.
"Someone made a really good point to me that kids or parents watching an interview like that, questioning whether they should have their kid play rugby or soccer, that's their decision made right there.
"To hear a national coach saying in any shape or form, gouging is acceptable in the modern-day game is despicable.
"I find that mind-boggling that you can have a national team coach saying something like that. Essentially, it brought the game into disrepute."
O'Driscoll suffered concussion during the Pretoria clash, ruling him out of the third Test at Ellis Park on Saturday. It ends an otherwise outstanding season – he led Ireland to the RBS Six Nations title and a Grand Slam, in addition to winning the Heineken Cup with Leinster – on a low note.
"I always felt that this would be my last Lions tour," he added. "But at the same, you see (35-year-old Lions lock) Simon Shaw and think well, there's hope. I don't know, maybe I've been a little bit tainted by a little bit of success this year.
"What I hate is that essentially that's the last chapter which will prey on your holidays a little bit. That's the taste that is left in your mouth – it's defeat in a series with the Lions, having won the Slam and the Heineken Cup.
"It is disappointing to think that you win those two in a year that you lose a Lions series. In another year you would be on a complete high throughout the whole summer, whereas now you're left with the feeling that I've been involved in three Lions tours and I've lost the three of them."
Despite the Lions suffering their third successive Test series defeat, O'Driscoll said: "I've had a brilliant tour, and I think that says an awful lot about whatever the management have done and the group of players too.
"It has been an incredibly enjoyable tour, way more than the other two (in 2001 and 2005).
"Lions tours are based on the success of the (Test) series, but at least this time around there has been more to it than the previous tours. I've enjoyed the other factors that maybe I didn't enjoy in the first two."
Unlike in 2005 though, after O'Driscoll was spear-tackled out of contention in the first minute of the opening Test, he will not remain on tour this time.
"I've learned an awful lot from four years ago about not staying around after your tour has finished," he said. "I stayed for a fortnight (in 2005), and I look back and that was not my smartest move.
"If I am not going to be on the training pitch at least trying to help the team win the third Test, there is no need for me to be hanging around."
Wales prop Adam Jones also leaves for home today. He suffered a dislocated shoulder after being the victim of a dangerous charge by Bakkies Botha that earned the Springboks lock a two-week ban.
Jones had to have the shoulder joint put back into place under anaesthetic. He will now work with the Ospreys medical staff as he battles to be fit for the start of next season.
The Lions have regrouped in Johannesburg following 36 hours on safari in Limpopo Province north of South Africa's capital. Coach Ian McGeechan is due to name his starting line-up tomorrow, with Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery set to fill the prop vacancies, and England centre Riki Flutey or Ireland's Keith Earls replacing O'Driscoll.
