KEY POINTS:
While George Gregan happily strolled down memory lane, the other halfback farewelling Eden Park tomorrow was squarely focused on the here and now.
Byron Kelleher and Gregan have had many memorable tussles over the years and although they play their last Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations match on Saturday night -- it is not necessarily the end of their on field relationship as a rugby World Cup semifinal meeting is possible in October.
They are also winding their careers down in France next season, albeit in different divisions.
The Australian yesterday revisited key moments of his career, a 13-year sequence featuring plenty of pain inflicted at the All Blacks' expense.
Kelleher was memorably on the receiving end of a cutting verbal barb in Sydney in 2003, the legendary "four more years, boys" taunt at the tail end of their World Cup semifinal.
Gregan yesterday wrote the remark off as nothing more than a heat-of-the-moment jibe and Kelleher wasn't about to revisit it this week -- tiring of the focal point of a rivalry that has kept both at the top of their games.
"You know George and I have had a great conflict over the years. I'm sure he always looks forward to the challenge, and likewise the other way round. It always brings out the best in you playing the best," he said.
Kelleher, who fought Justin Marshall just as intensely at provincial level before inheriting the All Blacks No 9 jersey, accepted his adversary will play a pivotal part in implementing the Wallabies game plan.
Gregan's savvy when a scrum was set on the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 30 was instrumental in negating the All Blacks' dominance at the set piece -- on Australia's loosehead he deliberately delayed feeding the ball in a bid to earn a free kick from South African referee Marius Jonker.
So effective was his strategy, Gregan did not feed the ball until the 31st minute, by which time he was giving Jonker a running commentary on the All Blacks' illegalities.
Kelleher denied he would be more forthright vocally in Welshman Nigel Owen's direction but agreed the scrum was one of several areas the All Blacks had to sharpen to ensure he enjoyed a fond farewell.
"It's hugely important for us to make sure we focus on what this week is about, and this week is about the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations and playing as a team.
"We want to sign off on a good note from the Tri-Nations and make sure we put a clinical and also, I suppose, a mongrel dog performance together. There's some real want in the team to really play well."
And despite the personal significance of this test for Kelleher, the 30-year-old maintained his emotions would not spill over in his 54th test.
"You can use those emotional values at the right time, which is during the week for preparation and then letting yourself relax for the game. That's when it counts," he said.
The security of regarding himself as the top dog among the three World Cup-bound halfbacks would also give Kelleher a sense of calm after the exertions of the haka.
"For me it's a good opportunity to go out there and express myself," he said.
"I don't have to prove anything."
- NZPA
