All Blacks sweep England to equal record win streak
New Zealand turn on the style in final test to clinch series 3-0 and take their impressive run of consecutive test victories to 17
Julian Savea scored a hat-trick of tries as New Zealand produced a clinical, high-paced first-half performance to set up a 36-13 win over England and seal a record-equalling 17th successive test victory at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday.
Scrum half Aaron Smith scored two tries as the All Blacks produced a first half that coach Steve Hansen called "as good as you can get".
Fly half Aaron Cruden kicked nine points and his replacement Beauden Barrett added a late conversion as the hosts clinched the three-test series 3-0. England fly half Freddie Burns slotted two first-half penalties and converted Marland Yarde's second-half try for the visitors, who impressed on their tour with their combativeness and willingness to play a wide game.
The first half was about as good as you can get. The wheels fell off the train a little bit [in the second half] but the rest of the game we will take a lot of positives out of
The victory ensured Hansen's side equalled the record among tier one nations jointly held by the 1965-69 All Blacks and the 1997-98 South African teams.
The team had been on the cusp of equalling the mark twice in the past four years only to be held to a 18-18 draw by Australia in 2012, ending a 16-game winning streak, while the Wallabies also ended New Zealand's 15-game winning run in 2010 with a 26-24 victory. They have the chance to beat the record, coincidentally against Australia in Sydney on August 16, in their opening Rugby Championship match.
After tight clashes in the first two matches of the series, the All Blacks stamped their authority on Waikato Stadium in the first 20 minutes as their forwards sucked in England's players to narrow the defence then cut their backs to shreds out wide.
Savea crossed the try line three times in that opening quarter but was only awarded two tries with the final pass on his potential third drifting forward after yet another clinical inter-play between the pack and backline.
"I thought the boys' skills were outstanding in the first 20 minutes and we really put the pressure on," All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said.