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Dan Carter broke Jonny Wilkinson’s world Test points record at the Millennium Stadium as New Zealand completed their third Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland in six seasons. 

WALES 25 NEW ZEALAND 37

Dan Carter broke Jonny Wilkinson’s world Test points record at the Millennium Stadium as New Zealand completed their third Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland in six seasons.

All Blacks fly-half Carter missed four first-half kicks, but an early long-range penalty took him past England star Wilkinson’s mark of 1,178.

Wales gave the red-hot 2011 World Cup favourites a real fright though, trailing 13-12 early in the second period after Carter’s opposite number Stephen Jones landed four penalties.

But the All Blacks displayed their ruthless streak when it mattered, with Hosea Gear scoring two tries - his second when substitute Daniel Braid was in the sin-bin - while full-back Mils Muliaina, Gear’s fellow wing Isaia Toeava and substitute prop John Afoa also touched down.

Carter added three conversions and two penalties, and Jones slotted two more three-pointers, plus a conversion of full-back Lee Byrne’s well-worked late try to see him finish with 20 points.

Wales took the lead inside two minutes when Jones slotted a penalty after he was tackled late by Gear.

The All Blacks wing turned his ankle after landing awkwardly following the challenge, but he soon ran it off by punishing Wales with a soft fifth-minute try.

Missed tackles by Shanklin and wing George North on Toeava gifted New Zealand an opportunity, and Gear went over unopposed in the corner.

Carter missed the touchline conversion attempt, yet he found his range just four minutes later from 49 metres to overtake Wilkinson and give the visitors an 8-3 advantage.

New Zealand struck again midway through the first-half as Carter injected pace into a routine counter-attack, and Muliaina glided in from halfway, eluding half-hearted challenges from Wales flanker Dan Lydiate and his back-row colleague Ryan Jones.

Carter failed to convert - his third miss in four attempts - and that was just as well for Wales as the All Blacks built an imposing 10-point lead.

Jones cut the deficit with a second penalty, and just after influential All Black number eight Kieran Read limped off just before the break, the fly-half Jones completed his penalty hat-trick.

The All Blacks were rattled after the break, confirmed by Braid - Read’s replacement - being yellow-carded for not rolling away after tackling Stephen Jones.

Jones brought Wales to within a point by booting the resulting penalty, yet it was the cue for New Zealand to step up intensity levels, and slick passing saw Gear claim his second try.

Carter added the extras and then kicked a penalty, but two more Jones penalties gave Wales renewed hope.

An upset briefly looked possible - then New Zealand emphatically snuffed out any prospect through late scores from Toeava and Afoa.

But Wales at least had the final word through Byrne’s consolation effort.

By Andrew Baldock