KEY POINTS:
The All Blacks came through unscathed in their final hitout in Auckland on Thursday before they head to France and the rugby World Cup.
They played two 50-minute matches against an Auckland Barbarians squad comprising Auckland and North Harbour club players before about 2000 fans at Trusts Stadium in west Auckland.
It was one-way traffic in both contests, which were split into 25min halves, with the All Blacks coming out on top 79-0 and 69-0 and scoring 24 tries.
All but three of the 30-strong World Cup-bound party played at least one whole game.
Those sidelined were forwards Keith Robinson and Reuben Thorne, nursing calf and calf/hamstring strains respectively, and halfback Andy Ellis, who is recovering from concussion.
However, prop Neemia Tialata, who has also been out with concussion, and fellow front rower Greg Somerville, returning from eye surgery, did take the field.
There were some mix and matching in the second game, resulting in some interesting positional switches.
Hooker Anton Oliver was used on the blindside flank, and showed some deft handling skills with a quick catch and pass in one attack.
After locks Ali Williams and Chris Jack had each completed a game and a half, they were replaced in the middle of the scrum by prop Carl Hayman and loose forward Jerry Collins.
The All Blacks have taken a low-key approach since the end of the Tri-Nations last month.
They have had only one other run since then, against a New Zealand Police side in Christchurch.
They are due to leave Auckland next Wednesday for Corsica. Their first pool game is against Italy in Marseille on September 8.
- NZPA
