The All Blacks ran in 10 tries in Friday night's pre-Rugby Championship hit out against North Harbour and Northland in Auckland, and most importantly, didn't pick up any major injuries.
New Zealand's Charlie Faumuina waits for a scrum against Northland in the Game of Three Halves, North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand, Friday, August 08, 2014. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Playing the first half of the match against North Harbour, the men in black dotted down seven times in the 41-5 rout before bagging a further three tries in the 19-7 second half win over Northland.
Particularly pleasing for coach Steve Hansen no major injury concerns emerged from the match, though flanker Sam Cane, in his first match since fracturing his knee in May, left the field with a cut to his head.
Cane left the field and needed six stitches, but the openside flanker says he's all right after getting through his first game in two months.
And the 22-year-old says he's ready to step up against the Wallabies in next week's Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney, if anything happens to Richie McCaw.
The weather was far from conducive to running rugby with rain steadily falling during the match.
However that didn't stop the All Blacks running in 10 tries, with wing Cory Jane claiming a hat-trick in in the hotly-contested right wing spot, with Ben Smith rested entirely.
New Zealand's Cory Jane touches down a try against Northland in the Game of Three Halves, North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand, Friday, August 08, 2014. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Charles Piutau played at both fullback and left wing.
Interestingly, second-five Ma'a Nonu was handed the goal kicking duties, nailing three conversions, including one sideline attempt, from seven against North Harbour.
Wider squad member Liam Squire impressed in the first-half at blindside, with the Tasman and Chiefs number eight setting-up two tries with well-timed offloads in traffic.
With Dan Carter absent through injury, Aaron Cruden ran the cutter at first-five, while all three halfbacks - TJ Perenara, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Aaron Smith, who on Friday re-signed with the Highlanders for a further two years - got a run.
Beauden Barrett started at fullback for the Northland half, before shifting to No.10.
Nonu ran strongly as always alongside Conrad Smith and Malakai Fekitoa in the midfield, while Jerome Kaino was imperious on defence.
All Blacks: Dane Coles, Conrad Smith, Sam Cane, Julian Savea, Cory Jane 3, Shane Christie, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Keven Mealamu tries Ma'a Nonu con 3, Barrett con 2
North Harbour: Tevita Li try
Northland: Kara Pryor try, Daniel Hawkins con
