Wales had been denied the chance to go eyeball-to-eyeball with the haka before kick-off - and they barely got close to New Zealand in the game either.

Winger Sitiveni Sivivatu scored his second Test hat-trick after creating the All Blacks' first try, for Luke McAlister, with the game barely three minutes old.

The All Blacks were awarded a penalty try late in the piece after Rico Gear had embarked on a brilliant run through the Welsh defence, only to be held up illegally on the line by Martyn Williams.

Wales' only response came when the All Blacks were down to 14 men, after captain Richie McCaw was sin-binned, and Martyn Williams was driven over.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins was looking on this game as an indicator of where his side stand in the grand scheme of things.

The question was always going to be how long Wales could live with New Zealand. The answer was three minutes.

Wales had been written off as rugby's "village idiots" in the New Zealand press - and they were made to look like it as the All Blacks produced a virtually flawless first 40 minutes and led 28-3 at the interval.

They out-muscled Wales up front and punished mistakes with ruthless efficiency.

Wales responded gamely after the interval, earning the try for Williams, but the game had long been up by then.

Wales' victory over New Zealand in 1953 was last night voted as their greatest ever triumph.

The captain that day, Bledynn Williams, appealed for Wales to remove the 'monkey' from his back - but came nowhere near getting his wish.

The rows which had erupted in midweek - over Ian Gough's suggestion that New Zealand were "honest cheats", and the 'village idiots' jibe - continued today when New Zealand refused to perform the haka.

They were upset by the Welsh Rugby Union's request for the haka to be performed between anthems, rather than just before kick-off.

The decision was greeted by howling boos from the Welsh supporters, who were not aware of the reasons behind the decision.

Nevertheless, it hardly affected New Zealand who scored their first try after just three minutes when Sivivatu beat Tom Shanklin and sent McAlister over.

Dan Carter extended New Zealand's lead three minutes later, after Wales had been penalised for pulling down a line-out.

Carter struck two more penalties to open a 16-0 lead after Wales, struggling to impose themselves against the All Blacks' fearsome back-row trio, were penalised at the breakdown.

Wales were inviting pressure on themselves as Stephen Jones continually missed touch, a cardinal sin against a New Zealand side so dangerous on the counter-attack.

Sonny Parker and Shanklin were leading the Welsh response, trying to punch holes through the middle of the All Blacks defence.

Wales were being limited to most of their possession on half-way but finally got on the scoreboard after New Zealand were penalised for offside and Stephen Jones slotted the three points.

Wales snatched possession on half way after Martyn Williams picked off an interception, but the All Blacks' defence were quick to react and pressured Dwayne Peel to spill the ball under pressure.

New Zealand counter-attacked in typically ruthless fashion.

Carter led the break - and after scrum-half Byron Keller had been halted just short of the line, Sivivatu held off Shanklin's attempted tackle and slid over to score.

Sivivatu was over again just before the interval, after the All Blacks had pinched another turnover on half-way.

Kelleher sparked the counter-attack and fed Conrad Smith who sent Sivivatu over on the angle for his second try.

Carter added another penalty before Wales made a raft of changes - with Gethin Jenkins, Alix Popham and James Hook replacing loose-head prop Duncan Jones, number eight Ryan Jones and Shanklin.

Hook's introduction as a creative inside centre heralded a change in emphasis for Wales - and they began to keep the ball in hand.

Shane Williams and Mark Jones began to cause New Zealand problems, and Peel began to win the battle of the scrum-halves.

McCaw was sin-binned for killing the ball after 56 minutes, and Wales eventually profited - driving Williams over from a line-out.

Carter was replaced by Nick Evans, who made an immediate impact with the run which created Sivivatu's third try.

It was the Fijian-born winger's 12th try in as many Tests for the All Blacks and his second international hat-trick.

New Zealand lost replacement hooker Andrew Hore to the sin-bin - but it did not stop the All Blacks scoring again.

Martyn Williams wrapped himself around Gear, after the All Blacks winger had beaten at least five Welsh tacklers on a brilliant run for the line.

Referee Dave Pearson awarded the penalty try, and the rout was complete.