Highlights: Wales beat New Zealand for first time in 73 years
Published3 hours ago
Did that really happen? Or was it just a dream?
As Welsh rugby fans wake up on Sunday morning the realisation will dawn on them.
It has happened. Wales have finally beaten the All Blacks again.
For the first time in 73 years – after 34 defeats – 19 December 1953 is now joined by 14 November 2026 as a defining date in Welsh rugby history.
Thousands of young kids will this morning be turning up to rugby training or matches, driven by parents who have a hint of a headache, with this magical day fresh in the memory.
Steve Tandy‘s heroes will always have this moment, with inspirational captain Dewi Lake and player-of-the-match James Botham shedding tears.
"Best day of my life," concluded Wales centre Eddie James.
Wales were awarded the Raeburn Shield – presented to rugby's lineal champions – after the 35-28 win against New Zealand
Why nobody was expecting a Wales win
It was a result that sent shockwaves throughout Wales but also around the sporting world.
Friends and relatives who had not been in contact for ages messaged each other to revel in or discuss the result.
People reminisced that their parents or grandparents never saw this day.
There was jubilation in Cardiff but also disbelief at the timing and magnitude of the occasion.
Welsh rugby has been in disarray since the end of the 2023 World Cup after so many of the golden generation retired.
The Wales men’s national team slumped to a record 18 straight Test defeats in a winless run that lasted 16 months as the side slipped to a lowest world ranking of 14th.
Tandy had only won four Tests in 13 matches, those victories coming against Japan twice, Fiji and Italy. His side had been hammered twice by world champions South Africa without scoring a point and conceding 116.
So when they awoke on Saturday morning hardly anybody outside the camp would have thought this Welsh team would succeed where previous Grand Slam-winning sides had failed to topple New Zealand.
There had been hope, even occasional expectation, before previous contests. That was generally not the feeling this time around, as Wales – ranked 10th in the world – took on a New Zealand side that were ranked top before kick-off in Cardiff.
So where does this staggering result stand in Welsh rugby history?
There have been some wonderful days, with Grand Slam successes clinched in Cardiff in 1976, 1978, 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2019.
Then there was the 30-3 drubbing of England in Cardiff in 2013 to clinch the Six Nations title, while Warren Gatland's side defeated the same opponents two years later at Twickenham in the World Cup.
But this is New Zealand. The All Blacks. A Wales win an achievement many thought might never happen again.
Some might question people for celebrating a victory against a New Zealand side that had rested some top players. You will not find many of those in Wales today.
"I have never seen a performance like that from the men in red," said Radio Wales commentator Cennydd Davies.
"They have emptied the tank and created history."
Tandy creates his own slice of history
The moment Wales beat New Zealand
Tandy has created history by becoming the first Wales coach to beat New Zealand.
Wales had no head coach when they defeated the All Blacks in 1905, 1935 and 1953, with David Nash the inaugural appointment in 1967.
Tandy has succeeded where World Cup-winning coaches Sir Graham Henry and Steve Hansen failed by masterminding a Welsh success against New Zealand.
Welsh Grand Slam-winning coaches like Gatland, Clive Rowlands, John Dawes and Mike Ruddock also could not inspire the feat Tandy has now achieved.
The unassuming man from Tonmawr in south Wales has had a tough initiation in his first 15 months as an international head coach but has now announced his arrival on the Test stage.
Tandy has had to deal with questions over his selections and coaching style, but nobody could ever question whether he has the backing of the squad or the way he has immersed himself in the job.
Players often reference the way Tandy keeps in touch, whether they are based in Wales or ply their club trade in England.
This squad play both for each other and for Tandy. There was no greater evidence of that than on Saturday.
Tandy has also finally been provided with a permanent back room staff. It is reaping the rewards.
Dynamic defence holds out All Blacks
Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins, who is Exeter's captain, was a tackling machine on Saturday
Tandy earned his international stripes as a defence coach with Scotland and the British and Irish Lions.
The arrival of Peter Murchie, who is in his second campaign as defence coach, is starting to pay dividends with former Wales flanker Dan Lydiate providing able support.
Nothing portrayed the evidence of Welsh players' commitment to the Tandy cause than the superhuman defensive effort of the final quarter.
Official rugby statistics are often hard to pin down, especially defensive ones.
Different sites produce slightly differing numbers that are often modified over time when games are analysed again.
The official Nations Championship chart confirmed Wales made a record tally of 346 tackles.
Lock Dafydd Jenkins tops the charts at 38, which matches the tally set by France captain Thierry Dusautoir against New Zealand in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final at the same Cardiff ground.
Jenkins was followed by Jac Morgan (31), Botham (30), centre Eddie James (25) and Lake (24).
Wales had the top nine tacklers on the field, with replacement prop Gareth Thomas making 19 in just 26 minutes.
Defence is not built on statistics alone.
The heart and desire was evident in a final quarter where Wales did not concede a try, and New Zealand captain Beauden Barrett remarked afterwards the All Blacks felt they had hit a brick wall.
A final quarter in which the All Blacks were held up over the Welsh line on three occasions following major interventions from flankers Botham and Morgan and replacements Thomas and Dan Edwards.
A final quarter in which James provided a remarkable try-saving tackle and replacement number eight Taine Plumtree secured two vital turnovers.
Traditionally, the All Blacks have eased away in these closing stages. Not on this occasion.
This was a victory for guts and glory, summed up by BBC rugby correspondent Chris Jones who said: "These results don't happen in international rugby these days.
"It can happen in football where you get an early goal and then it’s backs against the wall and you win 1-0.
"In rugby, teams are too powerful and well-drilled, the superior side normally prevails, the resistance eventually breaks and the dam bursts.
“But that didn't happen in Cardiff. The Welsh defence was heroic."
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The remarkable rearguard resistance is what will live long in the memory, but Wales’ victory was also built on the clinical offensive game most evident at the start of each half.
Wales were never behind in the game as they held leads of 14-0, 21-7 and 35-21.
That was thanks to tries from Tomos Williams and Lake within the first six minutes of the game and a couple more from centre James and Louis Rees-Zammit at the start of the second half.
Prop Archie Griffin also popped up with a score as Wales crossed for five tries, the most they have scored against New Zealand in Cardiff.
The attacking orchestrator was scrum-half Williams, who enjoyed one of his finest games for Wales, with his long passing repertoire in full flow.
Williams was ably assisted by half-back partner Sam Costelow, who has had to endure criticism during his short international career in Wales’ most high profile jersey.
Fly-half Costelow answered those doubts with an assured performance and also kicked beautifully with five conversions.
Rees-Zammit and New Zealand born full-back Blair Murray continually stretched the All Blacks defence, while centre James proved he is a Test match performer.
Attack coach Matt Sherratt will be a happy man this weekend.
Bringing back the crowds
Nothing this group doesn't deserve' – Lake on Welsh history versus New Zealand
A footnote to the day was that the game was played in front of 55,152, the lowest attendance for this fixture at the Principality Stadium.
It was 13,000 fewer than 12 months ago with almost 20,000 empty seats on show.
The fans that stayed away missed out on a magical afternoon as the players produced a performance worthy of a full stadium.
Those in attendance made themselves heard with Barrett stating it felt like New Zealand were facing 16 or 17 players.
“Since I've been here, I've loved what the crowd brings,” said Tandy.
“I believe we've got the best stadium in the world and it is inspiring for our players and supporters being part of that.
“It is what it is. We had 50-odd thousand here but we've got to perform and hopefully we can grow that.
“I see what the boys do in the communities also and how they connect to our people.”
Whether this attracts people to Cardiff next Saturday for a late match against Australia (20:10 GMT) remains to be seen.
The division and acrimony in Welsh rugby in recent years meant that it was always going to take a remarkable result like this to provide an opportunity to bring opposing factions together.
Welsh rugby’s issues will not be solved by one win.
But what a win. And yes. It did happen.
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