SPORTRITE - Lot hangs on this meeting in headmaster's office

With Tim Eves
Put it this way: There ain't no shrine to Graham Henry around these parts.
Having a brother who happened to attend Kelston Boys' High School during "Uncle Ted's" reign of terror as principal there was unhelpful, even when he was first anointed as the great leader. Events subsequent to his appointment have not aided his cause.
Really - though - he had no chance.
Firstly, he is a former headmaster. Thanks to the educational institutions of corporal punishment, paper duty, after school detentions, parent-teacher meetings, acerbic school reports and their judicious ability to know when school pupils are pinching biscuits from the staff room, headmasters will never win favour at sports central.
Secondly, he was an Aucklander. Need we embellish any further?
But right now, as the English whip their rose petals into a frenzy, with myopic reports of New Zealand's demise as a rugby superpower dominating all the major daily sports pages in the UK, perhaps Henry (aka Uncle Ted) needs a boost.
At least his players probably need a glimmer of hope that, when they turn up at Eden Park to play the Poms tomorrow night, there will be more people in the grandstand than their mothers, a couple of aunts, the two old school mates who rang up for tickets this afternoon and Steve Tew.
Honestly, if all the vitriol about how inconsequential the All Blacks are in this country now, how rugby has been displaced as the sport of choice in the rural hinterlands, how former All Blacks stars are turning their back on the game - you name it, rugby is the cause of it - is accurate, then nobody will be at the game tomorrow night.
Keen on watching the All Blacks tackle England? Just turn up at the gate about 10 minutes before kick-off, park the car a short stride away from main grandstand, wander into the venue and take your pick of the empty seats.
Good luck to ya. You will probably need to park somewhere near Warkworth, the queue at the gate will snake back to about K Road, and when you finally get to the front of the line a rather large Polynesian gentleman on security will smile in that "you will do as I say" manner and tell you to bugger off unless you have a ticket. Please.
And what to make of the ongoing debate about "Dingo Deans"?
At the time my own thoughts were mixed.
Just what would Deans do so differently to Henry?
The rotation policy? Deans was famous for it with the Crusaders and, when he was All Blacks assistant coach, argued for it but never got his way.
So just what would Robbie Deans bring to the party? Different players? Radical changes to the game plan? More informative press conferences? Better weather at test matches played in the middle of winter at night?
Well, no actually.
The base of the All Blacks under Deans would look surprisingly similar to the Canterbury-dominant squad currently under Henry. The game plan would, if anything, be a touch more conservative, especially in wet and challenging conditions.
Press conferences would reveal substantially less information to the general public, as Deans is as famous for his veiled replies and "well, what do you think?" responses to questions as he is for his coaching expertise.
When Henry got the job ahead of Deans earlier this year there were daily inquiries fired to representatives of sports central. Passions, you will recall, were running hot, the overwhelming opinion being that Henry had sharpened his sword for the World Cup battle and should now fall on it.
Anyway, all this verbal diarrhoea is masking the real challenge, which is England tomorrow night. Henry is just the team chief executive in coaching garb. His true influence on game tactics is even questionable with Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen as his assistants.
If the All Blacks satiate a bit of blood-lust against England then all power to them. If not, then don't get too fired up. Just think: Henry is just a typical headmaster occupied with how many biscuits are going missing from the staff room.