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Dallaglio: Lions blame game must end

25/10/2005

Lawrence Dallaglio has called for an end to the season of recriminations that has followed the disappointing Lions tour to New Zealand earlier this year.

"As a group of people we all have to accept criticism for what happened," the Wasps number eight said.

"When you pull that jersey on it's up to you to perform. It is wrong to be playing the blame game."

Dallaglio himself withdrew from the disastrous tour after breaking his ankle in the opening match.

"For me, the tour was over in ten days, so it's hard to comment on what went on after those ten days because I was sitting back here," he said.

But he added a word of criticism, saying: "Clearly, we were outplayed, outthought and ultimately beaten 3-0, and that says it all."

After the tour both Gavin Henson and Matt Dawson have criticised the tactics of Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward.

Dawson claimed Woodward was mistaken to select star England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson for the first Test, while Henson criticised the coach for a variety of alleged mistakes in his new book.

Dallaglio had strong words for those making posthumous remarks about the disastrous tour.

"There's a lot of guys who went over on that tour with big reputations. Quite frankly, they haven't lived up to those reputations," he said.

"There's a lot of work to do for a lot of those players to get themselves back on track.

"The sensible ones are the ones who are working on their games and keeping their mouths quiet."

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