Dan Carter waltzes through the Lions' defence
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Matches: New Zealand 48 - 18 British and Irish Lions

Teams: British and Irish Lions | New Zealand

The All Blacks took the series with a match to spare with a resounding victory which left very little doubt exactly who is the greatest outside-half in the world.

The statistics of Danny Carter's display are impressive enough - 33 points including two tries, a total exceeded in tests for the All Blacks only by Simon Culhane (45) and Tony Brown (36), neither against opponents of this stature.

Yet those numbers scarcely do justice to the all-round brilliance of Carter in every facet of a midfield back's play - running lethally, distributing with cool judgment and kicking brilliantly both at goal and from the hand.

While the margin of defeat was still greater than in Christchurch, the Lions emerged with much more credit.

Given a perfect start by Gareth Thomas's try inside 95 seconds, they competed throughout, but were ultimately overwhelmed by the remorseless assaults of the All Blacks.

They had turned round only eight points down but, as at Christchurch, Carter took the game away from them for good in the opening exchanges of the second-half.

After landing a penalty within two minutes, he scored a try of individual brilliance, chipping past the covering Lewsey to beat Jonny Wilkinson to the touchdown while managing just to stay in play.

He then landed the wide-angled conversion.

He added a further penalty midway through the half, before the Lions showed some of the fighting spirit lacking in Christchurch.

It was a score made in Llanelli as Dwayne Peel, who looked consistently for the attacking opportunity, worked the blind side and fellow-Scarlet Simon Easterby, also the Lions most effective line-out operator, squeezed over in the corner just before two tacklers drove him into touch.

But the rest was All Black pressure, resisted with desperate determination but with the certainty that their remorseless assaults must lead to scores.

Carter claimed the first, sidestepping Lewsey nonchalantly and the magnificent Richie McCaw the second from close range.

Carter, of course, converted both.

Gareth Thomas's start as Lions captain could hardly have been in greater contrast to Brian O'Driscoll.

Where the unlucky Irishman had been gone in 60 seconds, Thomas was on the score sheet in 95.

Taking a short pass from a ruck 20 metres out he first gestured left then cut back inside, wrong footing the defence as he tore back infield at an angle, breaking the first line of defence and arrowing to the posts where Mils Muliaina arrived with sufficient force to delay, but not stop him as he stretched to touch down.

Jonny Wilkinson added the conversion and the Lions - and arguably the whole series - had the start they needed.

The lead might have been double figures when Greg Somerville came in on the wrong side of a ruck four minutes later, after two breaks by Peel had taken the Lions into an attacking position, but Wilkinson's 35 metre struck the post and stayed out.

Instead the All Blacks, taking the ball in hand and running at the Lions at every opportunity, forced their way back into match over the next 12 minutes as Carter landed penalties in the 8th and 16th minutes, then took control in the 18th with a score exemplifying their ability to turn defence into devastating attack in moments.

Tana Umaga's challenge jolted the ball from Thomas's grasp.

The All Black skipper, loudly booed pre-match by the Lions fans, picked up and sent Carter charging down the left.

The All Blacks outside-half held off Gavin Henson, brushed past Shane Williams - who had charged unavailingly across from the opposite wing - and gave a return pass to Umaga who crossed triumphantly.

Carter converted and the All Blacks led 13-7.

But the Lions were at least competing, a fact underlined in slightly unfortunate fashion from the restart by a general brawl whose main contestants appeared to be Lewis Moody and Keven Mealamu.

Referee Andrew Cole warned both captains.

Two Wilkinson penalties either side of one for Carter cut the All Black lead to three points, but the All Blacks again went up a gear to extend their advantage in the 33rd minute.

First Bryon Kelleher, going by himself from the 22, was hauled down only inches from the line.

Then from the resulting scrum, the All Blacks moved the ball left and found the lethal Sivivatu in oceans of space around 15 metres out.

Few defenders have any chance against the Fijian when he is given space and neither Williams nor Wilkinson could do much to stop him crossing in the corner.

Carter showed he is human by missing the conversion and the All Blacks led 21-13 at the break.