NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE – For 50 minutes, the All Black magic was only sparingly in evidence in front of a 50,985 sell-out crowd at St James’ Park, the world champions being held to a 14-3 half-time lead in their final Rugby World Cup Pool C match by a hugely spirited Tongan side.

Then, however, with the knockout stages looming, Steve Hansen’s side cranked up the gears, running in five second-half tries to add to the two they scored before the interval, confirming their progress to the quarter-finals as pool winners with a bonus-point 47-9 victory.

The loudest cheer of the night came five minutes from time when veteran centre Ma’a Nonu got in on the try-scoring act on the occasion of his 100th cap.

New winger Nehe Milner-Skudder bagged a brace, while Ben Smith, Tony Woodcock, Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Cane also crossed the Tongan whitewash.

Dan Carter nailed six of his conversion attempts, failing to put the icing on the last score for Nonu, who was later chaired off the field by his team-mates to be presented with his 100th-test cap by Richie McCaw.

Tonga pounded away at the All Black defence with a series of drives and fly-half Kurt Morath got their first points on the board with a penalty in the 26th minute.

New Zealand lost their captain and number eight two minutes before the interval when Kieran Reid was yellow carded for collapsing a maul under the posts.

Seven minutes into the second half Tonga were close to a try again but outside centre Siale Piutau was unable to grasp a high pass.

Still, Morath’s second penalty success came as some compensation, pulling the gap back to 14-6.

Reids’ return to the field coincided with a All Black backlash, with Reid and his pack upping the pressure and Carter feeding a pass for the razor-sharp Milner-Skudder to score.

Morath replied with his third penalty but in the 59th minute the All Blacks had their try bonus in the bag, Milner-Skudder pouncing on Beauden Barrett’s grubber kick in the left corner.

On as a substitute Williams claimed try number five courtesy of a sublime inside pass from Aaron Smith and, soon afterwards, Tonga’s replacement hooker Paula Ngaumo was yellow carded for lifting Carter’s feet off the floor in the tackle.

The pain was not over yet for the Tongans, first Cane and finally Nonu running in tries to complete a successful pool stage mission for the World Cup holders.

The following is a look at the qualification and elimination permutations for the pools at Rugby World Cup 2015, after the New Zealand versus Tonga match.

In Pool A Australia and Wales have qualified for the quarter-finals and for RWC 2019. England, Fiji and Uruguay have been eliminated.

Australia will finish top of Pool A if they avoid defeat by Wales today, unless it is a draw in which only Wales earn a bonus point for four tries.

England will finish third, Fiji fourth and Uruguay last regardless of the England-Uruguay result.

In Pool B South Africa are guaranteed top place in Pool B and will face the runners-up from Pool A in the quarter-finals. Samoa and USA have been eliminated.

Scotland will qualify for the quarter-finals if they beat Samoa on Saturday or if Japan fail to beat USA on Sunday (provided that it is not a bonus-point draw for Japan).

Samoa can finish in third place only with a bonus-point win against Scotland and if Japan gain no points against USA.

USA cannot finish in the top three and will have to qualify for RWC 2019.

In Pool C New Zealand have qualified for the quarter-finals and for RWC 2019. They finished top of Pool C and will meet the runners-up of Pool D in the second quarter-final in Cardiff on Saturday October 17.

Tonga finished the pool in fourth place, with a lone win over Namibia, but saved arguably their best rugby for the world champions.

Argentina have qualified as runners-up and face the Pool D winners in the third quarter-final, in Cardiff on Sunday 18 October.

Georgia are guaranteed third place and have qualified for RWC 2019.

In Pool D Ireland and France have qualified for the quarter-finals and for RWC 2019.

Italy, Canada and Romania have been eliminated.