KEY POINTS:
On a day when the All Blacks completed a rugged 29-9 win against Wales and their final foe England fell by more than 30 points, a repeat Grand Slam finally looked a reality. Not a sure thing because that sort of thinking can lead to disaster as the
Kangaroos discovered in their World Cup calamity against the Kiwis.
But you will not find a bookmaker in Britain willing to bet against the All Blacks following their Grand Slam triumph of 2005 with a repeat scalping of the Home Unions next week.
It was not all one-way rugby though as the All Blacks went to the halftime sheds 6-9 down after a scratchy beginning as Wales showed plenty of the grit, power and defence that coach Warren Gatland had called for to underline their status as the champions in the north.
But after the break, while not on full turbo-charge, the All Blacks at least had their engines and muscle in much higher pitch as they added an unanswered 23 points topped by a converted try to Jerome Kaino on the bell.
Within a minute of their return the All Blacks were level and soon after when Ma'a Nonu completed a multi-phase mission, the gallant Welsh resistance was all but broken. They clung on but the damage was done. It was a case of damage limitation before the final concession meant their losing margin was greater than that imposed last week on Ireland.
Wales though had played with far greater imagination, thrust and impetus than the Home Union sides which had perished earlier on this tour.
There was an opening half of thrust and counter-thrust, carry and parry as the Six Nations champs butted heads with the Tri-Nations titleholders. Some bodies succumbed but both sides kept their focus on the prize ahead and the team tactics.
With Wales holding a slim halftime lead of three Stephen Jones' penalties to two from Daniel Carter after his third hit the woodwork, all the halftime fervour, discussion, talk and rhetoric was about whether Wales could continue their work and break the cycle of hometime despair dating back 55 years.
The interval was time for the intervention of the coaching staff, when they had to balance their need for more precision while applauding the passion, endeavour and workrate from their teams. Both had some moments of frailty, when their line was under serious heat, when they bent under pressure but did not break.
After those lectures, the All Blacks broke into their gameplan and rarely allowed the Welsh out of their half. It was an impressive retort from the visitors and much in line with their season rhythm where they start games slowly and rise to the boil.
The Millennium Stadium was the latest arena to witness that pattern with Wales left to continue their musing on when they will break the losing hoodoo.
