New Zealand 50 Barbarians 10 The New Zealand All Blacks captured their sixth World Rugby Classic title in superb style with a 40-point trouncing of Barbarians at National Sports Club on Saturday.

Three tries in five minutes on either side of the half-time interval best defined the huge divide between the irresistible All Blacks and the rest of the field.

Bryce Robbins, player/manager Andy Haden and Terry Wright were the try scorers but the support work was brilliant, effectively playing the BaBas out of the contest at 35-10.

The men from Wales, Ireland and Scotland were full of commitment throughout a high-quality affair but overpowered in the forwards and out-thought in the open spaces by New Zealand's indefatigable backs.

"The boys were hungry, very hungry,'' said Haden moments after the rout. "We had the luxury of points all the time and they had to take the risks.'' The teams going in level at one match apiece in the Barbarians' two-year existence, Haden dismissed the notion that the All Blacks were out to prove a point.

"No statement. Just `in there there and do the business','' he said. "Our mission in Bermuda was to do as well as we could and we weren't going to give up without giving it our best shot.'' Clearly, the All Blacks' best shot was far too good for the Barbarians, but it did not always seem that way.

The Barbarians gave as good as they got in the early exchanges, leaving the partisan crowd with the impression that this match-up would be keenly contested throughout.

Their resilience in defence was seen as early as the sixth minute when Andy Earle was repelled inches from the try line.

The All Blacks maintained the initative through their forward play and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute, Bernie McCahill prevailing after the first hint of sloppy BaBas tackling.

But the BaBas hit back five minutes later. Full-back Colin Wilkinson made a lovely grab of a New Zealand clearance and prompted a sweeping move that finished with Glen Webbe going over and bringing a large roar from the crowd.

The estimated 2,500 spectators surely got their money's worth in the next 10 minutes, as four tries were scored. Too bad for the BaBas, only one was theirs as the All Blacks stepped it up a notch.

The brilliant John Boe had the first after 17 minutes, forced over in a ruck, and Steve Baker made it 20-10 after a pacy move on the left.

BaBas showed they had the stomach for the contest when Derek McAleese scored through the middle after an extended spell of pressure in the 22nd minute.

But, just to show they could go deeper in the tank, New Zealand responded with Joe Leota touching down after a right-wing overlap.

Approaching half-time the pace slowed but only slightly. The tackling proved to be the domineering feature with neither side able to make inroads.

But Deans broke the scoring `drought' with a clever up-and-under from 30 metres. Deans was undone by the bounce, but the fantastic All Blacks support was epitomised with Bryce Robbins following in behind him to score and leave the BaBas mesmerised at 25-10 down at the half.

"Really, at half-time they had taken full command of the game and we just couldn't get possession,'' summed up Barbarians manager Willie John McBride.

"We struggled in the line-out and their defence was tremendous. They wanted to be in control of the game today and they did it.'' That control was accentuated moments after the restart when Haden scored after brutal mauling.

Barbarians had a chance to respond minutes later but Webbe had no support in acres of room on the left.

The same could not be said for the All Blacks after 39 minutes when Boe, after he appeared to run out of options, slipped a pass to the busy Wright to score his first try for a 35-10 lead.

Urged on by speedsters Paul Turner and Rob Brady, the BaBas endeavoured to claw their way back into the match. But for too much of the time their nifty footwork covered yards and yards laterally without penetrating.

And when Keith Crossan finally broke through on the left for a diving try in the corner, he was ruled to have stepped into touch.

It was not to be their day.

Then, grey-haired Rab Brady showed the attitude that is the All Black approach in microcosm, producing a diving lunge to just stop Crossan from officially scoring.

Having seen off the last of the Barbarians' challenge, New Zealand tacked on two more scores before the end; Wright again after taking a pass from John Mitchell, and Deans who was all alone on the right after a Barbarians play broke down.

McBride added: "This is the same New Zealand team that has been here for the last two or three years. They may be getting a little bit older but they're certainly better organised as the years go on.

"It's just amazing to stand and watch them because everyone else knows what everyone else is going to do and they virtually play it by numbers.'' After six victories and one runner-up finish in seven visits to the Classic, the All Blacks could be excused for a let-up in 1996.

No! says big man Haden, who at six foot five always get the last word.

"There will never be an All Black team coming here that doesn't give a good account of itself.'' The prelude to the championship match saw South Africa win the third-place match with a 24-5 result against a tired-looking England.

And in the Plate final, Argentina crowned their first official visit with a 29-19 triumph over United States in a hard-fought affair.