It was no classic by any means, and in that respect it failed to live up to the expectations raised whenever these two countries meet at the World Cup. But neither was it the waste of a highly priced ticket, as had become the fear when Marc Lièvremont picked a scrum-half, Morgan Parra, at outside-half.

It was simply the All Blacks giving France a going-over. And it showed, if ever proof were needed, that playing New Zealand, especially on the day when one of their favourite rugby sons, Richie McCaw, became the first All Black to win 100 caps, is no place for trying out something ever so slightly daft.

The plan to play a 9 at 10, to be chased down by McCaw and exposed with casual cruelty by Dan Carter, has already been flushed, I think it is fair to say, down the Auckland main drain. On the other hand, the All Blacks' play in a 15-minute period of the first half was sumptuous, and defences manned by more experienced sentries than Parra would have struggled to contain them as they swept to a 19-0 lead.

New Zealand scored tries in this spell through Adam Thomson, Cory Jane and Israel Dagg, all directly or indirectly from rushes down Parra's channel. Ma'a Nonu was destroyer in chief but he also served as a dummy runner, with Carter varying his passes and changing his targets. It was a beautiful, brutal lesson in identifying an area of weakness and exploiting it.

Strangely enough, France had started promisingly, keeping New Zealand pinned in their own half, Parra probing and passing and apparently enjoying this string-pulling role in attack. Vincent Clerc was busy on the wing and a hanging kick by Dimitri Yachvili nearly led to a try for Damien Traille, who outjumped Jane, only to spill the ball on landing. If an early drop-kick by Parra had gone over, rather than rebound off the post, it would have been what they deserved.

Instead, the All Blacks claimed their first piece of possession and immediately sliced through. Their scoring spree was under way: Carter to Nonu, Carter to Jane, Carter to anybody offering himself as a runner into the midfield gaps, or Carter ghosting around Luc Ducalcon as if the prop was not there.

Two non-scorers also stood out in the All Blacks side: Jerome Kaino again, as the deliverer of no-nonsense yards and destructive tackles. He typified the aggression of the All Black forwards at the tackle area, pouring in at the merest sniff of a turn-over, ripping limbs out of the way. France may have laid a plan to reinforce Parra's patch with forward back-up, but they were being pulped in the loose, and were in no shape to fill the breach.

And out beyond the main thrusts there was Conrad Smith, straightening lines, formidable in the tackle himself. The outside-centre brings a secondary command post to the All Black three-quarters, and if that makes them sound a bit over-managed, they were anything but. From the hands of Carter and Smith everything flowed with easy grace.

France at 19-0 down were out of the game, already resigned to taking the runners-up spot in Pool A and going into the European half of the last eight (assuming England win Pool B and Wales finish second in D). Given the early dashing of any hopes of winning the game and the pool, they did well to limit the damage. A penalty at the end of the half may not sound much, but at least it put them on the board and spoilt Kaino's perfect day. He was penalised for an off-the-ball challenge on Yachvili.

The sense of respite on the board and rest in the changing room at half-time was ruined in the first minute of the second half. If ever a situation were ready-made for Sonny Bill Williams, this was it. As a replacement for Jane, he now performed his signature trick: the merest break followed by the fastest of releases out of the back of his hand to Carter. The move ended with Dagg scoring a second try, stepping through wrong-footed defenders in the early midfield area.

At this point, New Zealand made a mistake. Carter threw a pass and it fell to Maxime Mermoz who, like, everyone else on his side, had been so under the cosh that it looked for a moment like his legs were too heavy to carry him 40 yards to the line. He kept going, veering towards the touchline to make sure. Yachvili converted from out wide.

The score was 29-10, almost respectable. But Carter then began to rehearse for tighter days ahead, dropping a goal. Such a means of accumulating points is generally frowned upon in New Zealand, but this was to make a point – four years ago, they had failed to go for the drop goal, and France had won. This little kick was laced with vengefulness.

There were still a couple of twists to come. Parra was finally spared and pulled off. In his place came François Trinh-Duc, demoted as a kick in the pants by his disappointed coach, Lièvremont. Suddenly France had a better shape, more thrust.

They found themselves scrummaging near the New Zealand posts, and from a quickly taken penalty, Trinh-Duc crossed, while simultaneously being clobbered by Sonny Bill Williams. One Williams led to another, with Ali, also a replacement, chasing and catching the restart on one touchline. It came across the field for Sonny Bill to cross on the other, a symmetrical finish to a polished performance.

Both countries march on, even the victors a little bruised and battered – Richard Kahui and Dagg suffered dead legs and Adam Thomson rolled an ankle. France did not give an injury report but they sounded as if the prospect of a potentially easier ride through the knockout stages was doing little to soothe the pain of being knocked out on McCaw's big day. The World Cup is all about testing yourself to be the best, and this was a French day of being second best by a distance.

New Zealand: Dagg, Jane (Williams 33), Smith, Nonu, Kahui (Slade 61); Carter, Weepu (Ellis 55); Woodcock, Mealamu (Hore 55), O Franks (B Franks 68, O Franks 73), Thorn, Whitelock A Williams 55), Kaino, McCaw (capt), Thomson.

Tries: Thomson, Jane, Dagg 2, SB Williams

Cons: Carter 3. Pens: Carter DG: Carter

France: Traille (Heymans HT), Clerc, Rougerie (Estabanez 68), Mermoz, Médard; Parra (Trinh-Duc 63), Yachvili; Poux (Barcella 75), Szarzewski (Servat 52), Ducalcon, Papé (Pierre 63), Nallet, Dusautoir (capt), Bonnaire, Picamoles (Harinordoquy HT).

Tries: Mermoz, Trinh-Duc

Cons: Yachvili 2. Pens: Yachvili

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland)