The saying "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home" could have been coined for Kiwis returning from a trip to Europe.

We might not have history, grandeur or the cosmopolitan delights of big cities that never sleep, but there's the reassurance of familiar faces and surroundings, the luxury of space, the relaxed tempo, and - outside Auckland - ease in getting from A to B.

But for a moment there I had to remind myself that I really was back in good old NZ. Being greeted by mass footy brawls, barbecued pets, and fatal exorcisms - perhaps the churches should issue a "Don't try this at home" warning - made me wonder if I'd been re-routed to Papua New Guinea.

What settled it were the unmistakable signs that we've embarked on another round of civil strife over the position of All Black coach.

The usual volatile elements were reacting explosively: a coach under pressure, the Auckland-Canterbury divide (although the traditional South Island gripe about the Auckland media conspiracy won't wash when some of the most trenchant criticism of Graham Henry appears in this newspaper), and the world's biggest imp, Andy Haden.

The difference this time is that Robbie Deans' rivalry with Henry has an immediacy and edge that was lacking when the comparison was between the incumbent and an under-employed alternative, between the actual and the theoretical.

Whether they like it or not, their head-to-head is now the sub-plot to every All Blacks-Wallabies encounter.

Thus far this has worked to Henry's advantage, with his supporters quick to point out that he leads 4-1. Should the Wallabies lose tonight, Deans can expect the blowtorch to be applied by media on both sides of the Tasman.

Both have been appointed through to the World Cup, but in professional sport contracts aren't much more than bargaining chips in severance pay negotiations. Deans was head-hunted by Australian rugby boss John O'Neill, but autocrats tend to have high expectations and low tolerance.

In 1997 O'Neill sent the late Greg Smith packing after five consecutive losses to the All Blacks and annihilation at the hands of the Springboks (which Deans now has on his CV).

Notwithstanding, the bellowing from a couple of old bulls in the southern paddock (Billy Bush and Richard Loe) Henry isn't vulnerable - yet. The All Blacks were in a worse position at this point in last year's Tri-Nations by virtue of having lost a home game, but still ended up winning the thing.

Having said that, the All Blacks have been comically bad at times this year, and were lucky to get out of Africa without being humiliated. The coaches' selections and public pronouncements, reliable indicators of clarity of mind, have been characterised by uncertainty.