Wales 25 - 37 New Zealand: Stephen Jones outkicks Dan Carter but All Black is all-time top scorer

Dan Carter broke Jonny Wilkinson's world Test points record 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 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 renowned ruthless streak when it mattered, with Hosea Gear scoring two tries, 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.

But Wales have now lost 24 successive games against New Zealand and gone seven matches without a win since beating Italy in last season's Six Nations Championship.

They can take some comfort from their fiercely-committed display, a quality they will need in abundance when opening Six Nations opponents England arrive in Cardiff on 4 February. Scrum-half Mike Phillips, flanker Sam Warburton and centre Tom Shanklin all delivered powerful performances, yet Wales ultimately went the same way as England, Scotland and Ireland this month.

Jerome Kaino admitted New Zealand had been made to work hard.

The All Black flanker said: "It was pretty tough, we're pretty stoked with the win but Wales made us work for it. There was ill discipline there at times and they made us pay for it.

"We knew if we could just hold onto the ball, keep recycling the ball, and put them under pressure then the points would come."