Coach Steve Hansen has backed Aaron Cruden's decision to opt for a late penalty tap that eventually led to the decisive try in the All Blacks' 20-15 win against England.
With less than four minutes remaining in the opening Test in Auckland and the score locked at 15-15, Cruden turned down a 40-metre shot at goal, instead tapping and running.
In the ensuing attack, prop Wyatt Crockett came up inches short of the line, but from the next scrum, centre Conrad Smith went over in the corner.
Hansen said his reaction to Cruden's tap, which came not from a call by skipper Richie McCaw, was "good on you son".
He described the atmosphere in the coaches box at the time as calm and supportive of Cruden.
"It was one of those games where someone had to take it by the scruff of the neck," he said.
"We needed to break the deadlock somehow. He played an option that was there to play and we're always encouraging them to play what's in front of them."
The margin of victory at Eden Park went against predictions of a one-sided contest.
England weren't fielding their top line-up, with players arriving late from last weekend's English Premiership final being rested.
But they produced a determined effort, with No.8 Ben Morgan having an outstanding game.
Freddie Burns, rated their fourth choice five-eighth, controlled things well for the tourists as well as landing all four of his penalty attempts.
However, the All Blacks weren't helped by continual errors, including regularly spilling the high ball.
They didn't take the lead until the 69th minute after a big break by lock Brodie Retallick, who showed great pace before being tackled by winger Marland Yarde.
Welsh referee Nigel Owens then showed Yarde a yellow card for not releasing and Cruden kicked his fifth penalty to make it 15-12.
Danny Cipriani, on as a substitute for his first Test in six years, then landed a penalty to tie up the game with six minutes to go.
Before the match, Hansen had dismissed media talk of England being under-strength.
"After 80 minutes, I think we will all be on the same page that England aren't a bad side," he said.
He described the contest as a physical and dour sort of encounter, with plenty of mistakes from both sides that could be put down to both rustiness and opposition pressure.
The second match of the three-Test series is in Dunedin next Saturday and Hansen said the All Blacks have a lot of work to do before then.
"We know now that this is going to be one of those special Test series," he said.
England coach Stuart Lancaster said he was proud of his players' efforts.
He said they created plenty of opportunities with their ability to get over the gain line and with their line breaks, and their set piece was solid.
However, the overriding emotions in the changing room were frustration and disappointed.
"We're desperately disappointed having fought so hard to be in the game for so long," Lancaster said.
"I thought it was a tremendous effort. It's tough on them not to come away with anything."
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