By Matt Majendie BBC Sport at Twickenham

For most of Saturday's thunderous Twickenham tussle, England managed to get Carter... but fatally, not quite for the full 80 minutes.

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As anticipated, the new wonder-boy of world rugby provided the difference between the two teams come referee Alan Lewis' final whistle.

England coach Andy Robinson enthused about his side's defence after the match, while full-back Josh Lewsey hailed it as the best defensive display since the world champions beat Australia in Sydney to earn that title.

Even on a good day, however, no defence is infallible and twice Carter picked his way through with devastating effect.

First, in the 16th minute, he sniped between a stranded Lewis Moody and Martin Corry and his perfect pass, possibly slightly forward, sent Tana Umaga over for New Zealand's first try.

The second half was only five minutes old, with the All Blacks leading 13-10, when Carter again spotted two England forwards ahead of him in the defensive line.

This time it was Corry and Phil Vickery who failed to get a hand on the 23-year-old, and moments later New Zealand were celebrating driving over Keven Mealamu for five more points.

If you give Carter space to run, he'll make something magic from it England fly-half Charlie Hodgson

In that moment, despite England's game fightback, Carter had effectively made it game, set and match.

Any coach would love to have him in his side. A grim-faced Robinson admitted he had "everything" when asked for his thoughts on the player after the match.

"He runs the game so well, is an awesome goalkicker and has confidence in everything he does," he added.

How England need the sort of explosiveness Carter delivered.

The home side have grown in stature massively in the last two weeks and produced a superb tight game to curtail the All Blacks' explosiveness.

But despite oodles of possession, they never really gave the impression they were going to burst through the opposition's black wall.

Mike Tindall and Jamie Noon were both brilliant defensively, and both men have certainly got the crash ball down to a tee.

Tindall shone but it wasn't enough

But the spark that Tana Umaga creates in conjunction with Carter is something that England patently lack with their present personnel.

"When you play with someone for a while you just kind of instinctively know what they are going to do," explained Umaga of the pair's almost telepathic understanding.

"You need a bit of luck as well, but with a player like Dan you expect him to make a break - that is the kind of player he is. I just hang onto his coat tails and try to pick up something on the way through."

England fly-half Charlie Hodgson admitted Carter had given the tourists the edge.

And he accepted that the world champions will need to find a similar dimension if they are to upset the All Blacks and defend their title in 2007.

"If you give Carter space to run, he'll make something magic from it, and that's the major factor that put us under pressure," said England's bruised and battered number 10.

"We know we have to follow that and be more creative and explosive but so does every side at the moment to beat the All Blacks. Once we get used to playing with each other more, that'll definitely come."

England will hope it arrives sooner rather than later.