Beauden Barrett came off the bench to inspire the All Blacks to a 24-17 victory over England in an Auckland thriller on Saturday, denying the visitors a drought-breaking victory and locking up a 2-0 series win.
Barrett set up the second of winger Mark Tele’a’s two tries in the 61st minute just as England, losers by a single point in the first test in Dunedin last week, threatened to end New Zealand’s 30-year unbeaten run at Eden Park.
All Blacks flyhalf Damian McKenzie kicked a fourth penalty five minutes from time to extend the lead to seven points and the New Zealanders held the visitors out in the frantic final minutes.
England flyhalf Marcus Smith had set up tries for wingers Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman with crosskicks and added seven points from the kicking tee to take his team close to a first victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand since 2003.