EVEN an under-par New Zealand performance proved to be too good for Wales at the Millennium Stadium this evening.

The All Blacks ran out 37-25 winners to complete a grand slam of the home nations despite failing to hit their straps.

Wales showed plenty of determination and were in the game with eight minutes left but ultimately paid the price for a lack of cutting edge – their points coming from the right boot of Stephen Jones and a last-gasp try by Lee Byrne.

That being said, they were only in with a sniff because the All Blacks were not as ruthless as usual and Dan Carter had a rare off day with the boot.

Wales actually got their noses in front in the second minute when Jones bisected the posts with a penalty after he had been tackled late by wing Hosea Gear.

But it was the New Zealand number 11 who quickly responded, dashing over from a pass from Isaia Toeava on the left flank after a period of sustained pressure from a penalty that had been kicked to touch.

Then on nine minutes came the inevitable moment when Carter became the highest points scorer in Test history, the fly-half booting a 50-metre penalty to eclipse Jonny Wilkinson's tally of 1178.

And it felt like game over with just 21 minutes on the clock courtesy of woeful Welsh kicking.

Full-back Lee Byrne missed touch with a penalty and allowed New Zealand to escape into Welsh territory, forcing scrum-half Mike Phillips into a clearance from near his own line.

But it was a poor one and it fell to Carter of all men, who promptly put full-back Mils Muliaina into space and over the line from halfway.

Luckily Carter's radar was off from the kicking tee and he missed his seventh point of the game to leave it at 13-3.

And Wales promptly had their best spell of an increasingly scrappy game, with James Hook knocking on within sight of the line and Jones landing a pair of penalties to make it 13-9 to the All Blacks on the stroke of half time.

But the naïve hosts gave Carter another shot at goal kicking long down field after the 40 minutes had elapsed.

New Zealand ran it back and won a penalty for holding on but luckily Carter was short from just inside the Wales half.

And the gap narrowed to a point on 50 minutes thanks to another Jones penalty with replacement New Zealand back rower Daniel Braid sent to the sin bin for killing the ball in the 22.

But Wales then paid the price when Byrne failed to find touch with a penalty again – Gear expertly finishing in the corner and Carter converting magnificently to make it 20-12 with 26 minutes left.

Carter booted another penalty but Jones responded with a brace to get back within striking distance at 23-18.

But it was all over with eight minutes left when James Hook was tackled when attempting to clear, the visitors showing great composure to put Anthony Boric racing clear and the lock shipped on for winger Toeava to go over.

Wales were out on their feet and giant prop John Afoa twisted the knife by racing over from Muliaina's offload.

The hosts did, however, have the final say when Byrne went over with the last play after being put over by Jones, who added the extras.

Wales scorers: try – Bryne; conversion – Jones; penalties – Jones (6)

New Zealand scorers: tries – Gear (2), Muliaina, Toeava, Afoe; conversions – Carter (3); penalties – Carter (2)