The All Blacks avenged their loss to England a year ago with a 30-22 win at Twickenham which leaves them on target to complete the perfect year.
Scoring three tries to one, New Zealand survived the early injury departure of first five-eighth Dan Carter in his 100th Test and a muscular English forward effort to lodge their 13th win from 13 Tests in 2013.
Victory against Ireland in Dublin next week will see them become the first team in the professional era to finish with a 100 per cent record.
Their streak came under serious pressure from an impressive England, whose 38-21 win in December was New Zealand’s last loss.
The hosts fought back from 17-3 down after 17 minutes to lead 22-20 entering the final quarter.
However, wing Julian Savea crossed for his second try as the All Blacks finished the stronger to honour a watching Carter with victory in his milestone game.
The celebrated playmaker exited with an ankle injury in the 27th minute and the limelight fell for much of the game on opposite number Owen Farrell, who kicked 17 points in a perfect six-from-six display.
Weight of English possession led to penalties, with the All Blacks guilty of numerous breakdown offences.
However, the experience of a New Zealand team boasting 842 combined starting caps ultimately proved the difference, along with their ability to convert their chances.
As with last weekend’s 26-19 win over France in Paris, the tourists spent much of the game defending but struck with points when it counted.
No.8 Kieran Read was central to both of the All Blacks’ early tries which pushed them 14 points clear.
His offload to Savea put the wing over in just the second minute and the classy No.8 crossed himself from another blindside move to capitalise on a period marked by slick New Zealand ball movement.
Carter converted both and slotted a penalty while Farrell landed a lone English penalty.
Momentum swung midway through the half, with England rewarded for a period of control when lock Joe Launchbury crossed following a messy scrum.
Minutes after replacing Carter, Aaron Cruden landed a penalty but his team were then reduced to 14 players when Read was shown a yellow card in the 33rd minute following a series of infringements.
Farrell slotted two penalties as the English pack took a stranglehold before halftime.
The pattern continued after the break, with the second of two Farrell penalties in the 60th minute putting the hosts ahead for the first time.
Savea’s second try came against the run of play four minutes later, running sweetly onto an offload by second five-eighth Ma’a Nonu before a Cruden penalty completed the scoring.
