To be fair, no players were going to 'play themselves into' the test side from this match.  However, there are bench spots up for grabs, and perhaps a couple of starting spots too (wing, midfield) and poor performances can see players doing the reverse.  The best way to show your wares in this match to me though, is that word above again - accuracy, and being accurate.  If you can't perform under the limited pressure that Portugal put on you, how the hell are you going to do the businesses when the Boers or Wobblies bring out the blow torch in the knock-out stages of the RWC?

Portugal I think were not paid the respect they were due - or found out to be due as the game progressed.  You still have to clear out the rucks and mauls, you still have to draw and pass, you still have to do the bloody basics, and ACCURATELY.  This was not really done, if the All Blacks had come out with a mind set as of the Italian game, you would have seen 150 points.  Sure, hard to get up for a game like this, but that should be down to individual pride in performance.  That was not shown by a lot of the All Blacks in this game.

No need to go into the game too much at any rate.  The All Blacks scored 16 tries, 14 conversions, 50 odd points a half.  The Portuguese scored every way possible on the rugby field.  Try, conversion, penalty and drop goal.  But just one of each, and that was the 108-13 score line.

The players.  Well, stand up and take a bow the following, who were accurate, and didn't lower their standards...

Jerry Collins.  Played his normal game of rugby, but made some big busts through the midfield as opposed to the committing half a team to stop him.
Andrew Hore.  Reveled in playing a game of rugby for a change, some robust charges and in general gave his guts.
Greg Somerville.  Mr basics did all his duties about the field in his first game back at this level.  Pleasing to see, will get better with more game time.
Nick Evans.  Certainly worth looking at for the bench, controlled play well, clearly the second best ten in the squad.
Leon MacDonald.  On fire at fullback.  I think his excellent form, more than any centres lack of form, will see him at 15 for the knock-out stages, with Mils at centre - if his injury comes right!!

The players  who were there, but may as well have not been.  Didn't enhance their standings in the Cartel's pecking order, and didn't drop down the ladder either...

Ali Williams.  Scored a try, and did what was needed.
Chris Jack.  Did his duties, not much more.
Neemia Tialata.  Thank goodness Somervllle is back.  Tialata at times can be a lazy shit.  Certainly one of the players that let his standards slip, but not as bad as the likes of Lauaki.  Lazy is the word that springs to mind.  So again, thank goodness for Somerville, I would rather start a test match with the Cantab veteran at three than the mad strangler.
Conrad Smith.  Lasted 80 minutes, and that is a man of the match performance in itself!
Joe Rokocoko.  Two early tries made it look like the Ellis six in 1995 might be under threat, but the ball did not seem to go the Rock's way during the next 14 touch downs! 
Isaia Toeava.  Got through the game well at wing, would be nice to see him get a shot at centre, as with Mils broken down, we are again down to one specialist at 13, Toeava.

Those who dished out shit sandwiches to the waiting masses...

Sione Lauaki.  Blimy, if he wanted to be playing in the big games in a few weeks time, he did everything wrong.  The crowing moment when he came off the back of the scrum, crabbed sideways across the park, before throwing a forward pass to Masoe.  Typified his messy game.
Chris Masoe.  I still don't know what the Cartel see in this man.  He is not a genuine openside flanker, and lord help us if he is started in a real test match there.
Brendan Leonand.  Not his best game in black, not that he has had many.  Think a better option off the bench.
Aaron Mauger.  Accuracy in finding opposing defenders with his passes is scary.  What do you take, the Mauger miss passes, or the McAlister kicks?  Can Hayman play 12, he can do most anything else...!!

The reserves that were playing all over the shop, and did what was asked of them, so a little above the Jack's and Tialata's, but below the Hore's and Somerville's.

Kevin Mealamu.  School days flanker, returning to the glory days!.
Anton Oliver.  Player hooker like he should.
Tony Woodcock.  Propped as a prop should prop.  Not locking...
Carl Hayman.  Played lock, scored a try, took a lineout, threw the pivotal pass in Smith's second try, and in general played like a  champion at the unfamiliar position of lock.
Andrew Ellis.  He's a halfback, threw some passes, picked up a nice try, and did halfback stuff, as he should.
Rodney So'oialo.  Got about the paddock adding to his cap count.

And the player who broke down, who gets no rating, Mils Muliaina.  It seems we get one centre back on deck, in Conrad Smith, and lose another in Mils.  Roll on an injury free squad, and roll on game 3 against the Haggis munchers!

New Zealand 108:  Rokocoko 2, Toeava, Williams, Mauger 2, Collins, Masoe, Hore, Leonard, Evans, Ellis, MacDonald, Smith 2, Hayman tries;  Evans 14 conversions.
Portugal 13:  2 tries, 2 conversions.
HT:  52-3