KEY POINTS:
The history book was shredded with the same ease as the Samoan defence as the All Blacks inflicted a ritual 101-14 test rugby slaughter here tonight.
Predictions the hastily-arranged match would be little more than a training session for New Zealand proved spot on as they raised a
century after crossing for their 15th try in the final act of the game.
Seven tries in the first half and eight in the second carried them to their fourth-equal highest score in test history and easily surpassed the highest score in four previous meetings with Samoa, a 71-13 win at Albany in 1999.
In perfect conditions the New Zealanders spread the ball at will, with the chief beneficiary being Samoan-born fullback Mils Muliaina with a hat-trick of tries.
He was replaced at halftime along with first five-eighth Daniel Carter, who had landed six of seven conversion attempts. Carter's replacement Stephen Donald kicked seven from eight, including the late angled shot that raised three figures for the fifth time for the All Blacks in tests.
Coach Graham Henry was clearly wary of injuries to his key men ahead of the Tri-Nations decider against Australia in Brisbane next week, working his entire reserve bench early in the second half, including the replacement of Samoan-born captain Rodney So'oialo in his 50th test.
All Blacks winger Anthony Tuitavake left the game with a head knock shortly before halftime, replaced by Rudi Wulf.
The match was to prepare the All Blacks for Brisbane although little can be gleaned from this display which was sparkling for long periods but also error-ridden.
Lineouts, kickoff receipts and handling were untidy for periods, particularly the middle of the first half and the final quarter.
The kickoff receipts and lineouts were untidy along with some handling mistakes although they were inevitable given the open nature of the match.
Samoa's prospects were hardly helped when halfback Notise Tauafoao was shown a yellow card just before halftime for a professional foul.
The match itself made history, being the first time the All Blacks had played in New Plymouth.
After three enthusiastic days' buildup, a crowd of 22,518 didn't appear to mind the one-sided nature of the contest, with Mexican waves and blaring music the order of the day.
Debate over whether the match should have been awarded test status intensified in the first 16 minutes as the All Blacks scorched in for four tries.
Two went to Muliaina and one each to centre Conrad Smith and openside flanker Adam Thomson, the latter's first in test rugby after starting ahead of the injured Richie McCaw.
They failed to cross again for the next 20 minutes, the messiest period of the test in which Samoa manufactured the first of two tries, to ducking first five-eighth Uale Mai.
However, three tries flowed in the five minutes before the break, to Smith, halfback Jimmy Cowan and Muliaina, who finished the best move of the game starting deep inside New Zealand territory in the last act of the half.
It was one-way traffic in the second spell as the visitors - featuring 10 players in their starting 15 who are based in the Samoan domestic competition - clearly tired.
New Zealand crossed through winger Richard Kahui, reserve first five-eighth Stephen Donald, lock Ali Williams, flanker Jerome Kaino and a penalty try awarded by Australian referee Stuart Dickinson from a 5m scrum.
Scoring accelerated in the final 10min through two reserve backs, fullback Isaia Toeava and halfback Piri Weepu, before Samoan flanker Alafoti Faosiliva was on the end of a sweeping move to cross.
Kahui scored his second try on fulltime.
Samoa captain Filipo Levi said the All Blacks were too consistent for his young team.
"One hundred points, what can you say? But we got two tries."
It had been a big step up for the team coming from club rugby in Samoa and had some young players coming up against hardened professionals such as Tony Woodcock and Greg Somerville in the scrums.
"It was a learning curve and a good experience for the boys," Levi said.
So'oialo said the match was a "valuable hitout" as the All Blacks had not played for a couple of weeks.
"They needed needed this game to turn their bodies over and get back on track for next week."
All Blacks forwards coach Steve Hansen concurred, saying: " We got what we needed to get out of it and there were no injuries as well."
- NZPA
