Wales beats New Zealand for first time since 1953 in historic upset
Wales secured a historic 35-28 victory over New Zealand at the Principality Stadium, ending a 73-year winless run against the All Blacks with a five-try display.
Wales pulled off a historic 35-28 victory over New Zealand on Saturday, ending a 73-year winless sequence against the All Blacks in a breathless Nations Championship encounter at the Principality Stadium. Steve Tandy’s side shredded the sport's form book by securing their first triumph against New Zealand since 1953, shattering a 34-match losing run. The stunning result marked the first time in history that Wales scored five tries against the All Blacks, a remarkable turnaround for a squad that had endured severe off-field turmoil and a prolonged losing streak following the 2023 World Cup.
Wales made a sensational start to the contest. Just 80 seconds into the match, Louis Rees-Zammit received possession in space and kicked over the top of the New Zealand defence, allowing scrum-half Tomos Williams to win the race and touch down. Sam Costelow converted to open up an early lead. Four minutes later, Wales moved further ahead when hooker Dewi Lake crashed over from close range following a rolling maul, and Costelow’s reliable boot pushed the hosts into a 14-0 lead.
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New Zealand clawed their way back into the fixture. Scrum-half Cortez Ratima broke off a maul in the 10th minute to dart over for the visitors' opening try. Wales maintained their composure and grabbed a third try through prop Archie Griffin after sustained forward pressure near the line. However, New Zealand hit back before the break when No 8 Wallace Sititi fought his way over. Right on the stroke of half-time—three minutes into added time—Fehi Fineanganofo finished a swift attacking move by the posts. Richie Mo’unga added the conversion to bring the score level at 21-21, marking the first time since 2016 that Wales had not been behind against the All Blacks at the interval.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie had made eight changes from the side that defeated Scotland in their previous fixture, handing Beauden Barrett the captaincy on his 149th Test appearance. However, that experimental approach backfired as Wales flew out of the blocks again in the second half. Centre Eddie James crossed in the left corner four minutes after the restart, and Rees-Zammit soon dotted down unopposed after Wales turned down a kickable penalty in favour of a five-metre lineout. Costelow maintained a flawless kicking record, converting both scores to establish a 35-21 advantage.
Peter Lakai quickly narrowed the deficit to seven points with a try converted by Mo’unga in the 53rd minute, setting up a ferocious final quarter. New Zealand laid siege to the Welsh line during a tense finale. The home side produced an immense defensive rearguard, spending nearly 20 straight minutes defending their own territory. Wales repelled wave after wave of attack and held the All Blacks up over the try-line on three separate occasions, including crucial defensive interventions by James Botham and Dan Edwards. Incredible tackle counts underpinned the victory, led by Dafydd Jenkins with 36 tackles, Jac Morgan with 28, James Botham with 26, and Eddie James contributing 24 from the centres.
| Metric | Wales | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 35 | 28 |
| Tries Scored | 5 (Williams 2, Lake, Griffin, James, Rees-Zammit) | 4 (Ratima, Sititi, Fineanganofo, Lakai) |
| Conversions | Sam Costelow (5/5) | Richie Mo’unga (4/4) |
| Half-Time Score | 21 | 21 |
| Attendance | 55,152 | |
A passionate crowd of 55,152 supporters watched in disbelief as the final whistle sounded, leaving players in tears on the pitch as Wales celebrated arguably the most famous win in their 145-year Test match history.
What to watch next
- Wales returns to the Principality Stadium on Saturday, November 21 to face Australia in their third Nations Championship Test.
- New Zealand travels to face England at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on Saturday, November 21, seeking to bounce back from their historic defeat.
