Lions coach Gatland defends decision to axe O'Driscoll

The controversial omission of Irish veteran Brian O'Driscoll from the Lions side for tomorrow's decisive test was done for sound rugby reasons, says coach Warren Gatland.

The axing of the Lions great from the matchday squad provoked outrage in Ireland, a fury not assuaged by Gatland, the Wales coach, including 10 players from the principality in his starting XV.

"You're making the decision with your head and not your heart," New Zealander Gatland said. "And then you realise what comes of making a decision like that, the peripheral stuff, not the rugby decision.

"It becomes a major story for 48 hours and it becomes a debate. But that's the process we've gone through.

"I can go back to the UK after this either saying 'did I make the decision because I believed it was the right decision?' or 'did I make the decision because it was the right political decision, or the one with sentiment?'

"I can honestly say it's the right rugby decision."