All Blacks predict warm Chch welcome for Deans

Robbie Deans' mates in the All Blacks expect the Wallabies coach to be given a very warm welcome in his old home town this week - until kick-off in the second Bledisloe Cup test.

Deans, 50, returns to Christchurch in an official Australian capacity for the first time since becoming Wallabies coach at the end of 2007. He has had two losses in Auckland and one in Wellington during his nine tussles with the All Blacks.

Deans' status as a 146-capped Canterbury player, 19-match All Black, former All Blacks assistant coach, Canterbury coach and more recently Super rugby's most successful coach with the Crusaders will ensure he gets a hero's welcome around the city.

The impressive new grandstand at the ground is named after his famous rugby family with his contribution a key to that.

Deans has six of his former Crusaders players still in the All Blacks - captain Richie McCaw, lock Brad Thorn, star first five Dan Carter, No 8 Kieran Read and propping brothers Owen and Ben Franks.

But all that adoration might change by the time the teams run out at AMI Stadium with Tri-Nations honours and the beloved Bledisloe Cup on the line.

"It's going to be a weird one," admitted Thorn.

"But he is like a favoured son back there. I imagine they will be saying gidday to home and stuff ... he really is endeared there. But when it's kick-off I think there will be 30-40,000 Kiwis cheering for the All Blacks."

McCaw felt the Deans factor in Christchurch would "spice up" the second Bledisloe Cup test of the season.

"There are a lot of people there who enjoyed him as a Crusaders coach and had a lot of time for him so it's going to be an interesting atmosphere. I think it will add a bit of spice to it, there's no doubt about that. Hopefully we get a full house," McCaw said.

 "Yeah it will be interesting to see how they welcome him back," Read said.

"Most people back home still see him as a local. In terms of him as a person, people will be supporting him but definitely not the Wallabies next week."

Thorn says its not hard to be a friend and an "enemy" of Deans.

"When I see him, he's a friend to me and his wife catches up with my wife when she comes back to Christchurch from time to time," Thorn said.

"The great thing about sport, especially rugby and league is that you can be playing against someone and they can be a great friend. You go as hard as you can to achieve something against them, whether they are a player or a coach, and then afterwards you just have that great camaraderie."

McCaw echoed those sentiments about friendships being bigger than the game itself.

"We don't talk too much about the rugby when we catch up... that's just the way it is. But certainly there is a lot of respect because Robbie has helped me a lot over the years.

"That should never leave just because you are on the opposite side of the fence. You find that in this All Blacks team - when we play against each other in the Super 14 there is a hell of a lot of rivalry but when the whistle goes you leave it at that and get on like you always do."

Unlike the previous two years Deans is bringing his Wallabies to New Zealand early this week, arriving in Christchurch on Monday.

They will stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the central city and train at Christ's College.

Deans will also be involved in a fundraiser for the famous Glenmark club at the Kaiapoi Workingmen's Club with his old mate and current Crusader coach Todd Blackadder.

The Wallabies will be based in Christchurch during next year's World Cup so it's an ideal chance for his squad, which features many new players, to get a feel for the city and its facilities.

- © Fairfax NZ News