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Robbie Deans ... is the target of criticism in Richie McCaw's autobiography. Source: Juan Mabromata / AFP
With friends like Richie McCaw, Robbie Deans sure doesn't need enemies.
Barely a week after launching his autobiography that criticised Deans, All Blacks captain McCaw on Friday revealed he felt for his former mentor when he came under fire as Wallabies coach.
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He even expressed his desire to "hopefully" share a beer with his ex-Crusaders coach after Saturday night's Bledisloe clash at Suncorp Stadium.
But McCaw made it clear he wouldn't be doing Deans any more favours as the world champion All Blacks vied for a record-equalling 17 straight wins.
In his book "The Open Side", McCaw surprisingly criticised the coaching style of the man who helped his Crusaders win five Super rugby titles - even claiming Deans' stubborn approach may have cost him the All Blacks job in 2007.
But McCaw on Friday only had kind words for Deans who is vying for just his fourth win in 18 trans-Tasman Tests.
Asked if he could feel for Deans when the knives came out for the Wallabies coach, McCaw said: "Yeah.
He then laughed: "You don't want to make his job any easier when you come against him.
"But I have a lot of respect for what Robbie has done. He has certainly helped me along the way.
"Just because you want to beat his team doesn't mean you think any less of him as a man.
"We will still have a beer afterwards - hopefully."
But if all goes to plan for McCaw on Saturday night, Deans will be drowning his sorrows rather than raising a toast.
McCaw said equalling a 43-year-old record had not preoccupied the All Blacks, especially during a preparation disrupted by the passing of coach Steve Hansen's father.
And McCaw said even if they equal the record of the 1966-69 All Blacks, few would meet the standard they set during that unbeaten era.
"I am not going to say it has not been thought about a little bit," he said of the record winning run.
"But the first thing is to back up from a good performance.
"There are some real legends amongst them (1966-69 sides). I have been lucky enough to meet a few of them - they are good men.
"They would have played for similar reasons that we do but they did it over a long time, years apart.
"I think every time you play Tests you want to live up to the standards those men set over the years."
The Wallabies denied the All Blacks a record-equalling 17th Test win in Hong Kong in 2010 and were the last team to down New Zealand - in the Tri-Nations decider 14 months ago.
No wonder McCaw ruled out complacency creeping in on Saturday night.
"The last thing we want to do is let our standard slip," he said.
"I thought the intensity at training has been good.
"We want to put a good performance out there because the Wallabies will do that I am sure - we are prepared for a big Test," he said.
Praise wasn't limited to Deans - McCaw dipped his hat to popular hooker Keven Mealamu ahead of his 100th Test and made special mention of Wallabies skipper Nathan Sharpe, who plays his last game on home soil.
