KEY POINTS:
Auckland - The All Blacks were treated to a rousing schoolboy haka tonight when they arrived at an Auckland shopping mall for a final public appearance before their departure for the rugby World Cup.
A big crowd of several thousand had begun queuing up more than 90 minutes before an autograph signing session at the Westfield mall in Manukau City.
They produced a cacophony of sound when the All Black tour party of 30 players and team management arrived at the ground level of the complex.
All eyes then went up to the mezzanine balcony, as a group of Rotorua Boya High School pupils broke out into their school haka, Raukura.
After loud applause from the crowd, they followed up with the All Blacks' own haka, Ka Mate.
The pupils were from their school rugby team playing in an under-15 tournament in nearby Pukekohe.
Haka leader and halfback Zeppelin Kissling said he and his teammates just happened to be at the mall when they heard the All Blacks were going to be arriving for a one-hour autograph session, and they decided to stay on.
He said performing the haka was a spur of the moment decision.
"We wanted to do something for our country," he said.
"It was pretty exciting."
All Black coach Graham Henry described the reception the team received as "absolutely superb".
The players were then split up and went to four different tables as eager fans filed past.
The All Blacks are due to fly out of Auckland tonight bound for France. Their opening pool match is against Italy in Marseille on September 8.
- NZPA
