HE promised when he went on he would play with a smile on his face - and he did.

But he also promised his farewell wouldn't overshadow the game - and here he couldn't have been more wrong.

Long after this clash at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday is forgotten, record-breaking fly-half Neil Jenkins' farewell will be remembered.

Not for a superb loop which set up one Wales try, not for a brilliant break which provided another, but for a superb touchline conversion which summed up all the Ginger Monster has meant to Wales.

The crowd rose as one to salute him, the great Barry John beamed and clapped from the stand, and despite their country's eighth defeat in a row, the fans went home happy.

But the perfect preparation for an arduous tour Down Under the match wasn't.

Coach Steve Hansen put a positive slant on things, and there were undoubtedly several plusses, but the World Cup is only just over four months away and Wales' progress remains slow.

Here they were outscored by eight tries to five, and had not the heat taken its toll more on the Barbarians the loss might have been a record one.

But all credit to Wales, they did hit back in the final eight minutes, and under Jenkins' inspiration scored two thrilling converted tries to make the scoreline more respectable.

The undoubted plusses were the performances of Iestyn Harris at inside centre, Tom Shanklyn as a replacement wing, Colin Charvis, in particular, and Martin Williams on the flanks, a powerful scrum with Iestyn Thomas to the fore and the promise of another replacement, Gareth Delve. Alix Popham, too, shaped well, but his ball retention remains a problem.

Many people have long believed Harris' best position would be at centre, and in this game he proved it.

Early on he almost put Mark Jones away before making a great tackle to deny the Baa-baas a try.

Later he was alongside Stephen Jones after the pivot's superb break from just inside his own half before his superbly timed pass sent Mark Taylor racing across. Later still he dummied and burst through for a try before delivering the coup de grace.

Another dummy to Shanklyn was the prelude to a burst outside Baa-baas wing Aisea Tuilevu and down the touchline before handing back inside for Shanklyn to grab the first of his try hat trick.

Shanklyn is developing fast into a top-rate international.

Charvis has had a poor season, but on Saturday his work-rate was 100%.

Williams again showed his appetite for picking up the pieces while Bath back-row man Delve showed confidence and ball-carrying ability.

The Barbarians began as if they were going to steamroller their way to victory through the likes of Ollie le Roux, Mark Connors and the exceptional back row of man of the match AJ Venter, Sam Harding and Olivier Magne.

But they soon showed their renowned running skills with wings Tuilevu and Reihana real handfuls, and Percy Montgomery outstanding at full back. As Monty left the field he got a tremendous reception, perhaps the fans realising a moment's indiscretion for Newport when he pushed a touch-judge could end his career.

And scrum-half Mark Robinson, only third in the All Blacks' pecking order, proved a real bundle of energy.It suggests the Kiwis will be virtually impossible to beat in the World Cup.