Byron Kelleher. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Byron Kelleher. Picture / Brett Phibbs

You sense there is a concealed disregard for George Gregan below the public admiration.

If you listen long enough to All Black halfback Byron Kelleher, and he has learned to prattle on with the best of them these days, you are aware he is no great fan of the world's most capped international.

Nowhere near it.

Even if he lived in Christchurch, Kelleher would not be inviting his Wallaby opponent around for a barbecue after tomorrow's test as former All Black halfback Justin Marshall did. No siree.

There was the celebrated "four more years" taunt from Gregan to Kelleher late in the 2003 World Cup semifinal as the All Blacks saw their campaign wither in Sydney.

It was a decent sledge and while Kelleher dismisses it as "water off a duck's back" he also admits he keeps the remark in the "back of my mind".

"It was heat of the moment, there is a bit of rivalry there which has built up over the years between George and myself in games we have played in.

"I don't pay too much attention to nuggety little comments.

"He is hugely competitive, we all know Georgie is pretty vocal on the field but I am probably a different style of halfback. I hope I let my actions speak for me."

He thinks his first serious confrontation with Gregan came in 2000 when the Highlanders halfback got into the Brumbies captain, tailing him all game with a one-on-one marking.

It was a tactic to force Gregan to distribute all game, something "he did not seem to take too kindly to".

The plan worked, the Highlanders won and Kelleher was also able to reproduce the strategy in the Bledisloe Cup.

It was the sort of confrontational approach former Springbok halfback Joost van der Westhuizen had advocated as the best way to ruffle Gregan and impede the Wallabies.

While Kelleher concurs, he also points out that there were not too many games where duels could get personal and individual.

Gregan was a superb athlete who had lasted a long time at the most elite level in rugby and Kelleher amped himself for every duel he had with the Wallaby. Meeting the best brought out the best in him.

"I am very determined to do well. You have to focus on what is going on around you in the game rather than the individual, though," said Kelleher.