Wales 10 New Zealand 45:The first half was nearing its end when Wales, for once showing awareness, kicked the ball from their own half into space, spotting fullback Mils Muliaina was not at home having been caught in a ruck.

As chasers gave pursuit, the secondrow Ali Williams, alert to the danger, had tracked back and, collecting the ball in his 25, sent a spiralling kick into touch on the Wales 10-metre line.

Wales won the lineout but the prop Duncan Jones was robbed of the ball by his opposite number, Carl Hayman, and the All Blacks quickly turned defence into attack for the wing Sitiveni Sivivatu to score his second try. From having the opportunity to go in at the interval 23-10 down on Saturday, Wales were 25 points behind and staring at their heaviest defeat in Cardiff.

Williams' presence of mind summed up the vast difference between the All Blacks and the rest. When New Zealand kicked into space created when Wales's fullback Kevin Morgan was caught in possession, no home player filled it, and it is the capacity of the men in black to think on their feet which has enabled them to destroy England, France and Wales this month.

New Zealand's three tries in the first half started with Wales in possession. Morgan's fourth-minute speculative kick was gathered by the wing Rico Gear in his own half and the speed of the counter, coupled with passing in contact, left Wales without a last line of defence when Luke McAlister made an inside run to receive Sivivatu's pass.

The second try came after New Zealand made a mistake. Dan Carter's kick was blocked by Rhys Thomas, who knocked on. Carter picked up, glided away from three defenders and set up a move which resulted in Sivivatu's opening try.

The essence of the All Black approach was to apply pressure everywhere; they contested every breakdown and were physical in everything they did, even their outside backs. Wales were rushed into making mistakes. New Zealand absorbed pressure by applying their own and attacked from turnovers when the defence was disorganised. It was simple, brutal and lethal.

Flanker Jerry Collins jolted several rib-cages and even Carter, the most sublime runner with the ball in the game, hit ball-carriers with a momentum-stopping impact. Wales, playing behind the gain-line, had to kick ball away hurriedly. Questions had been raised about Gareth Jenkins' decision not to pick a specialist inside-centre, but no matter what team he had picked the result would have been the same.

Wales made more of a game of it in the second half because the referee, Dave Pearson, refused to allow a contest for possession at the breakdown and awarded eight consecutive penalties against the All Blacks. He sent Richie McCaw and Andrew Hore to the sinbin for breakdown offences, the reputation of the former going before him. Hore was sent to the sinbin for coming into a ruck from the side, but when Wales forwards did the same in the build-up to their try they were not blown up.

"Leave the ball alone when it's not yours," Pearson told the All Blacks at one point, underlining that the way the breakdown is refereed in the Premiership does England no favours. New Zealand coach Graham Henry said afterwards: "I have watched a number of English and French league matches this season and the attitude is not as positive as Super 14. Their games are slower, too set-piece-oriented and not enough attack-minded, meaning defences are not tested properly."

Even with a man advantage, Wales were no match for New Zealand. McCaw was cooling off when Alix Popham, Wales's substitute number eight, lined up Collins in the midfield for a big hit and rushed out of defence, letting Nick Evans run through a huge gap and send in Sivivatu for his hat-trick. Finally, the All Blacks were awarded a penalty try after Martyn Williams killed the ball. The sobering prospect before next year's World Cup is that the All Blacks have seldom got out of third gear this month.

• Guardian Service

WALES: Morgan; M Jones, Shanklin, Parker, S Williams; S Jones (capt), Peel; D Jones, R Thomas, A Jones, Gough, Evans, J Thomas, M Williams, R Jones. Replacements: Hook for Shanklin, Popham for R Jones, Jenkins for D Jones (all 46 mins), AW Jones for Evans (56 mins), Phillips for Peel (63 mins), Rees for R Thomas, Henson for Parker (76 mins).

NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina; Gear, Smith, McAlister, Sivivatu; Carter, Kelleher; Tialata, Oliver, Hayman, Robinson, Williams, Collins, McCaw (capt), So'oialo. Replacements: Woodcock for Tialata (37 mins), Hore for Oliver, Weepu for Kelleher (48 mins), Thorne for So'oialo, Ryan for Robinson, Evans for Carter (all 64 mins), Nonu for Sivivatu (80 mins).

Referee: D Pearson(England).