All Blacks clinch series over England
Wallabies have to rely on penalties to edge out France in try-less battle
The All Blacks pulled off a remarkable second-half turnaround to down England 28-27 in the second test in Dunedin on Saturday and wrap up the series with a game to spare.
The one-point margin was not a clear indication of the difference between the two teams after the All Blacks had raced to a 28-13 lead before letting England in for two late tries.
After a woeful first half by New Zealand, in which they trailed 6-10 by half-time, they shifted up several gears in the second session.
It was about believing in what we were doing and eventually, if we stuck with it, it would come right. And it did
The All Blacks took control up front for the first time in the series and their confidence visibly grew as they ran in three tries before England's late response.
Fullback Ben Smith was the All Blacks' "everywhere man". In the first half when everything was going wrong he was always a danger and in the second half he scored the first try and featured in the other two.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said his half-time message was straight to the point. "There wasn't a lot of carry-on. It was nice and calm," he said.
"It was about believing in what we were doing and eventually, if we stuck with it, it would come right. And it did."
England coach Stuart Lancaster was dejected to see the game slip away after the tourists' convincing start.