Wales beat New Zealand 35-28 to end 73-year wait

Wales have beaten New Zealand for the first time since 1953. Steve Tandy’s side won 35-28 at the Principality Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in round five of the Nations Championship. It ends a run of 34 straight All Blacks wins over Wales and a wait of 73 years.

Wales scored five tries and led by 14 points three times. New Zealand fought back to level at half-time, but the hosts struck twice after the break and held on in a desperate finish to seal one of the great days in Welsh rugby.

How Wales beat New Zealand

Wales made a flying start in Cardiff. Tomos Williams scored in the second minute, and captain Dewi Lake crossed four minutes later as the hosts raced into a 14-0 lead.

Cortez Ratima pulled one back for New Zealand on 10 minutes, but Archie Griffin powered over for Wales’s third try on 24 minutes. Sam Costelow converted all three to make it 21-7.

The All Blacks hit back before the break. Wallace Sititi and Fehi Fineanganofo both scored, and Richie Mo’unga’s conversions meant New Zealand had wiped out Wales’s lead by half-time, with the score at 21-21.

Wales responded with two tries soon after the restart. Eddie James scored on 44 minutes and Louis Rees-Zammit on 48, and Costelow converted both to put Wales 35-21 clear. Peter Lakai scored for New Zealand and Mo’unga converted, but the All Blacks could not find another score.

Wales hold their nerve

Wales’s defence delivered the decisive final act. According to The Times’ live coverage, they twice stopped New Zealand from grounding the ball over the line, protecting their seven-point lead through a desperate finish.

Costelow finished with five conversions from five, a perfect day with the boot. Lake led from the front at hooker, and the pack stood up to a New Zealand side that had won all 34 meetings since 1953.

Rennie’s changes do not pay off

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie made eight changes to the starting side that beat Scotland 43-21 at Murrayfield. Beauden Barrett captained New Zealand for the first time from full-back, with Mo’unga back at fly-half.

Wales went into the game as clear outsiders. They had beaten Japan 28-21 in Cardiff the previous weekend, as covered in our Wales v Japan match report, but few expected them to trouble New Zealand. Tandy’s side were also without Aaron Wainwright, who was unavailable with a minor calf injury, according to the WRU team announcement. Our earlier Aaron Wainwright injury update covered the build-up.

Why this win matters for Wales

This is a landmark result. As our look at when Wales last beat New Zealand explains, the previous win was 13-8 at Cardiff Arms Park in December 1953. Generations of great Welsh players never managed it. Tandy’s young side have now done what Gareth Edwards, Shane Williams and Alun Wyn Jones could not.

For the All Blacks, it is a painful setback in the Nations Championship, and they face England next weekend. For Wales, it is a huge lift after some hard years, and a day the Principality Stadium crowd will never forget.

Wales starting XV: Blair Murray; Louis Rees-Zammit, Eddie James, Max Llewellyn, Gabriel Hamer-Webb; Sam Costelow, Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (c), Archie Griffin, Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, James Botham, Jac Morgan, Taine Basham.

You can see how the side was picked in our Wales team vs New Zealand piece. For more Tests, results and team news, visit our international rugby hub.