All Blacks: Test parade entertains thousands in Apia

Richie McCaw in Apia. Thousands turn out to see the All Blacks and Manu Samoa during a parade on the island of 'Upolu. Photo / Dean Purcell

A parade, an hour-long public ceremony during which the Samoan Prime Minister poked gentle fun at the All Blacks, opposition supporters united in praise for both teams - this has not been a normal eve-of-test experience for the world champions and they are all the better for it.

After an emotional and at times humorous welcome at Faleolo Airport in which the announcer pretended to interview Richie McCaw and Sonny Bill Williams, before the two men themselves entered the arrivals hall to shouting and screaming from the hundreds straining against the barricades, the All Blacks' Islands adventure continued in Apia today.

The men in black make a virtue of sticking to their routines, but this was a joyful departure from anything like that.

It was a day in which policemen were directing traffic in downtown Apia at 9.30am, such was the eagerness for people starved of seeing the All Blacks in the flesh to do just that, a day in which 10 All Blacks took hundreds of children from 21 primary schools through a skills session and left with smiles - the richer for it, just as the kids were - and a day in which the All Blacks travelled in three traditional buses - glass windows surplus to requirements - while wearing traditional lei necklesses and lava lava skirts.

Flax fans were provided to mitigate against the fierce midday heat.

It was a day also during which Steve Hansen and Steve Tew, two men used to setting the agenda, had to sit and smile through a speech by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also the chairman of the Samoan Rugby Union, as he called their team the "elusive, Scarlet Pimpernels" of rugby for avoiding playing a test here for so long.

The speech - understood to have been written and polished some weeks ago - was fun, and not meant to offend, but there was a message behind it, too.

The Samoan people really are ecstactic at seeing their second-favourite, and in some cases favourite, rugby team here, but it has taken a long time for it to happen - too long.

If the address in Samoan by prop Nepo Laulala at the Marist Brothers Primary School earlier was a symbol of the unity of the two countries, so too was the sight of a local wearing the red-and-white-hooped Burnside Rugby Club jersey - the club All Blacks Andy Ellis and Tom Taylor represent.

The man was also wearing a pair of black Canterbury Rugby referees' shorts so he is clearly well connected.

And at the end of it all, as the All Blacks practised on Apia Park for their one and only time before the big day, skipper McCaw admitted the buildup to this test couldn't be anything but different.

"We realised when we came into camp last week there would be a few things not quite in the norm, but you've got to be able to roll with that," McCaw said.

"For the most part we've had a pretty good buildup and the guys are in pretty good shape I think so now we've just got to put it out on the field, but ... [coming here] was the right thing to do. It put a smile on everyone's face, including our team, so hopefully that helps tomorrow."

As the sea breeze swept across the superb-looking pitch, the All Blacks looked fit - and that just might get them across the line as both teams face up to the 3pm kickoff.

But just suppose it wasn't? Mr Tuilaepa has already called tomorrow an official half-day off for Samoa. If Manu Samoa - the David against the Goliath - somehow achieve the near-impossible, what of the day after?