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Facing the music: All Blacks coach Graham Henry (right) and skipper Richie McCaw
New Zealand coach Graham Henry and his team arrived back home to a warm welcome on Wednesday despite his side's shock Rugby World Cup exit.
Thousands of fans turned out at Auckland and Christchurch airports as the All Blacks - minus arrested winger Doug Howlett and several team-mates - completed their early journey home.
Henry's men, who were favourites to win the tournament, were beaten 20-18 in the quarter-finals on Saturday, but despite the disappointment the coach was still proud of his players.
"We'll be scarred for the rest of our lives after this particular 2007 Rugby World Cup," said Henry.
"This team deserves that [the welcome] and they're the best team in the world."
Henry was flanked by assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith while captain Richie McCaw and selector/mentor Sir Brian Lochore also occupied a solemn top table while 16 players headed their separate ways after clearing customs.
Squad members had feared the response that awaited them in Christchurch and were pleasantly surprised at the raucous support that heralded their return two weeks ahead of schedule.
Veteran hooker Anton Oliver, who received hate mail after the 1999 World Cup semi-final loss, also to France, was mystified by the conciliatory nature of the crowd.
"I think the boys felt kind of strange, like we didn't really deserve it. It wasn't embarrassing but it did feel unusual to be accepted for our failures," Oliver told NZPA.
Henry remained unrepentant, saying in retrospect he would not change the policies of rotating players to build depth and the reconditioning of key personnel by pulling them out of half the Super 14.
"I'm totally comfortable with the strategies we put in place," said Henry.
"It's proven because we are the number one rugby side in the world and have been for a long time and still are.
"It's just that we haven't got that little yellow cup."
Of all the emotions Henry had experienced since full-time at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, embarrassment was not among them.
"We feel we did everything possible. That makes you feel disappointed but there's no embarrassment here," he said.
"I don't feel embarrassed, I don't feel sad that we haven't done the job. I'm just disappointed.
"I think that's important. There's a lot of people being affected by this - families, wives, partners, kids.
"My two boys arrived [in Cardiff] on Friday and cannot get back from Paris for two weeks.
"They're gutted, and they just reflect everyone else's family, and the New Zealanders that were over there."
The disappointing result means Hansen could be overlooked to replace Henry.
Crusaders coach Robbie Deans is the likely successor although several names are thought to be in the frame when Henry does leave his post.
Former Ireland coach Warren Gatland, currently boss at Waikato, is one of those names but he has so far distanced himself from the role.
"There are people in line before I am. People in the coaching set-up like Robbie Deans," he said.
"I haven't had any approaches from anybody and there is a lot to go ahead in terms of the new processes."
Hurricanes and Junior All Blacks chief Colin Cooper is another candidate for the top job although he too is refusing to be drawn on whether he would be willing to take the post.
"I don't want to comment until the proper process has taken place," he said.
"At the moment there are still three guys there and they haven't made any announcements about their plans."
Cooper, a former assistant to Deans at Canterbury, and Gatland could play roles in a Deans-led management team.
John Mitchell, the current Western Force coach who was assisted by Deans when he led the Kiwis at the 2003 World Cup, has also been linked with a comeback.
