Rugby-Deans misses Wallabies flight to visit sick father

SYDNEY, July 31 (Reuters) - Australia coach Robbie Deans missed his team's flight to South Africa on Friday to visit his seriously ill father in New Zealand.

As the Wallabies were preparing to leave Sydney for their next Tri-Nations match in Cape Town on Aug. 8, Deans made a quick dash to Christchurch to be at his father's bedside.

Australia wing Drew Mitchell told local media Deans was hoping to rejoin the team in South Africa on Sunday.

"We don't train till Monday so I think at this stage Robbie isn't going to get there till Sunday night, but if not, he'll come later in the week," Mitchell said.

"We've all been working together. We all know know where we are trying to get to and what we need to do to achieve that.

"But at the moment our thoughts are with Robbie and his family and hopefully everything goes right." (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Peter Rutherford. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)