The IRB requested Woodward tapes

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) revealed that they had supplied the International Rugby Board (IRB) with a tape of England coach Clive Woodward's post-match comments - following his team's second Test against the All Blacks in Auckland - because they had been asked to, not because they wanted to rock the boat.

Woodward slammed match officials - referee Nigel Willams and touch-judge Stuart Dickinson - after the match for the red-card issued to England lock Simon Shaw. The NZRU later supplied the IRB with a tape of his comments - a move for which they were publicly criticised.

Many fans - not just English - felt that the NZRU were trying to make life difficult for the England boss, but Chief Executive Chris Moller has denied any foul play on his Union's part - and he is hoping the resultant public fracas will not impact on the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

The Lions are expected to announce their final tour details later in the week, and whether they will play an extra midweek game at Eden Park.

But in the aftermath of the Eden Park Test - and following Woodward's comments at the post-match media conference - it seemed that the NZRU has indeed acted on their own accord.

"We believe some of Woodward's comments were interesting and have proactively sent a copy of the press conference to the IRB to look at," said NZRU deputy chief executive Steve Tew last week.

But Moller refuted these claims on Tuesday - saying that IRB referees manager, Steve Griffiths - in a discussion with his NZRU counterpart Keith Lawrence - had requested the tape to investigate a possible breach of the IRB Code of Conduct by Woodward.

"By way of clarification, we had an inquiry from the IRB and we thought the best thing to do, given the inquiry, was to supply them with the material. And in doing so, we adopt a neutral position," Moller told NZPA.

"I am not aware of us having any further communication with the IRB on the issue and not sure if the IRB intend to take any further action or not.

"We could have issued a complaint to the IRB but we did not do so. We could have complained to the RFU [Rugby Football Union] and didn't do so.

"We decided as they were not our officials being criticised it was not a matter for the NZRU. We decided the best thing to do was supply the material.

"That does not rule out we may later on decide to take other action but in the first instance we believe it is for the IRB to consider."

Moller said the NZRU had chosen not to clear up the misunderstanding at the time as had they tried to correct every inaccuracy in the media they would need a huge number of staff and that only time will tell if there were any repercussions for the Lions tour.