New Zealand stretched their winning run over Wales to 29 games in 63 years with a commanding performance in Dunedin.
The tourists fought as hard as they had in losing the first two Tests, but the All Blacks were smarter in defence and sharper in attack to wrap up a 3-0 win.
First-half tries by wing Ben Smith and centre George Moala were followed by Beauden Barrett going over.
Fly-half Barrett added a second in a 26-point haul with hooker Dane Coles and Israel Dagg also touching down.
The margin of victory was the fifth-largest for the All Blacks against Wales, the biggest a 55-3 win in 2003 when the tourists were coached by Steve Hansen.
Now a World Cup winner with his home country, Hansen made 12 changes for this game, five of them in the starting XV, and said the risks were worth the potential rewards.
But it proved no gamble as his side ruthlessly punished aspects of Wales’ kicking game as the match wore on.
The frenetic start of the two previous Tests was repeated under a closed roof, but a lack of composure in possession affected both teams’ efforts to break the defence.
It was left to rival kickers Dan Biggar and Barrett to put the first points on the board, the Welshman opening the scoring, and adding a second after his counterpart’s first success.
Early nerves were even evident in the opening try as Aaron Smith had to pick up off the floor a few metres out before providing a superb scoring pass to namesake Ben.
Even then, the All Blacks had to wait for the video referee to decide the right wing had touched down before a trailing knee had crossed the touchline under pressure from Hallam Amos.
Inaccurate Wales
Moala was denied by Liam Williams’ desperate tackle but the centre finished off a sweeping counter-attack and Barrett’s conversion gave the hosts a 12-point cushion at the break.
Barrett’s pace brought New Zealand’s next try and his superb pass put hooker Coles clear as Wales suffered for their inaccuracy with the boot out of hand.
As in Wellington seven days earlier, Wales attacked late on, but after their final flourish failed, Dagg raced 70 metres to complete the rout.
Warren Gatland’s men were a clear second best and left without adding to their five-try tally from the first two Tests, while the hosts ended the series with 16.
What’s next for Wales and the All Blacks?
New Zealand will begin to prepare for their defence of the Rugby Championship, in which they face Australia, South Africa and Argentina.
Wales can now look forward to some rest and recuperation having played 19 games including 18 Tests since August 2015, including the World Cup and Six Nations.
In the longer term their leading players – and coach Gatland – will be hoping they can return down under in 2017 with the British and Irish Lions.
What they said:
Wales coach Warren Gatland: “In fairness to the All Blacks I thought they were outstanding.
“I thought the pace of their back three caused us some problems and some of their collision dominance was pretty good as well.
“We’ll take a lot of lessons from these three Tests and we need to apply that the next time we get back together.”
Teams
New Zealand: Israel Dagg; Ben Smith, George Moala, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Charlie Faumuina, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Elliot Dixon, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
Replacements: Codie Taylor (for Coles), Wyatt Crockett (for Moody), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (for Faumuina), Luke Romano (for Retallick), Liam Squire (for Dixon), Tawera Kerr-Barlow (for A Smith), Lima Sopoaga (for Crotty), Waisake Naholo (for Moala).
Wales: Rhys Patchell, Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Hallam Amos, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Ross Moriarty, Sam Warburton (capt), Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin (for Owens), Aaron Jarvis (for Evans), Samson Lee (for Francis), Jake Ball (for Charteris), Ellis Jenkins (for Warburton), Gareth Davies (for Webb), Rhys Priestland (for Biggar), Scott Williams (Roberts).
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Andrew Lees (Australia)
