FULLTIME: All Blacks 48 Lions 18

The All Blacks showed their class to push past a spirited Lions side and win the second test - and the series - in Wellington tonight.

A remodelled Lions, following their demolition in the first test last week, showed some attacking flair and were let down only by some poor defence on occasion. But the All Blacks, though they started slowly, gradually turned up the heat and secured a convincing win in a thrilling contest.

They scored five tries to the tourists' two. Dan Carter scored the try of the night, kicking through and touching down himself after a break from Rodney So'oialo. And when he converted from the touchline, it gave him 21 points- the most ever scored by an All Black in a test against the Lions. He finished with 33 points, including two tries, and was superb in all areas of his game.

The final score was also a record win for the All Blacks over the Lions.

Carter's counterpart Jonny Wilkinson, reinstated to his normal first-five position, never imposed himself on the game and went off on the hour mark with an injured shoulder.

The tourists put up a much stronger performance in the first half than they had last week and scored the first try.

Wilkinson had opted to pass with his first touch of the game, setting up Gareth Thomas to break through into the All Blacks 22. From a resulting scrum, Thomas again received the ball and dodged an invisible defence to touch down in just the second minute.

Wilkinson converted the try to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.

There had been no repeat of Brian O'Driscoll's controversial response to the haka, with the Lions standing in their tracksuits with their arms-linked.

And though there had been predictions that the game could be played in an unpleasant atmosphere after a week of controversy over New Zealand captain Tana Umaga's tackle on O'Driscoll, there was no significant ill-discipline from either side.

Conditions were good with slightly breezy and cool but dry weather and the thousands of British and Irish fans in the crowd made it feel like a home game for the tourists early on.

However, as the game went on it slipped away from the Lions and the New Zealand supporters grew in confidence.

Simon Easterby gave the Lions some hope with 15 minutes to play, touching down in the corner depsite the efforts of Justin Marshall who had just been brought on for Byron Kelleher.

But the hope was to fade soon after when Carter again made the tackling look poor by breaking through for his second try of the night. Again he converted and the score was 41-18. Richie McCaw added to the Lions' misery with another try in the 77th minute.