All Black Jerome Kaino says he was hit with a torrent of public and social media criticism after being accused of deliberate dangerous play by the British and Irish Lions.
Kaino was forced to defend his integrity on Wednesday following Lions coach Warren Gatland's claims that All Blacks players intentionally and dangerously targeted the legs of Irish halfback Conor Murray during the first Test.
An incident involving Kaino in the 10th minute was the only act that came close to Gatland's description.
The veteran flanker says he never set out to hurt Murray and simply got his timing wrong when trying to charge down a kick and rolled into the player's standing leg.
"What's at question here is my intent and what kind of player I was," Kaino said.
"All I can say is I would never go into a game thinking that I'd target someone and intentionally hurt them."
The 34-year-old revealed he had been bombarded with comments on social media about the incident, which he was trying to ignore in the lead-up to Saturday's second Test in Wellington.
"I've seen it, reviewing the game and it's popped up on my twitter feed about a million times so it's a bit hard to avoid," he said.
"I guess people have their opinions on it, It's a different world with social media added into it but you learn how to block things out. You have great people around you that you get good advice from."
Gatland's comments have stirred up the home side, with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen having offered some stinging remarks in response.
Kaino repeated Hansen's claim that they would never try to injure an opponent.
"What's been said out there about malice and intention, that's never the case.
"I wasn't cited and I don't think I should have been."
Kaino confirmed the All Blacks didn't go in with a preconceived plan to target Murray.
However, putting pressure on the Munster number nine was an obvious tactic because of the quality of his kicking.
-AAP