Wales triumphed over New Zealand 35-28 in the Nations Championship in Cardiff on Saturday, securing their first win against the All Blacks since 1953. Scrum-half Tomos Williams delivered an outstanding performance, scoring one of five tries as Wales ended a 34-match losing streak against the three-time Rugby World Cup champions.
Despite New Zealand’s Peter Lakai narrowing the gap to seven points with a late try, Wales’ resolute defence held firm in the final 25 minutes. This victory is particularly significant given Wales’ recent struggles, including a poor run of form since the 2023 World Cup and ongoing off-field issues affecting the sport in the country.
Coach Steve Tandy made five changes from last weekend’s narrow victory over Japan, bringing in Adam Beard to strengthen the lineout alongside Dafydd Jenkins. New Zealand’s coach, Davie Rennie, appointed Beauden Barrett as captain for the first time in his 149th Test match, making eight adjustments from their win against Scotland.
Wales caught New Zealand off-guard with an early 14-0 lead, with Williams assisting hooker Dewi Lake and later scoring himself. They extended this lead to 21-7, thanks to prop Archie Griffin, but New Zealand fought back with tries from Wallace Sititi and Fehi Fineanganofo to level the score at 21-21 by half-time.
Wales resumed strongly in the second half, with Williams setting up a try for Eddie James. Louis Rees-Zammitt’s try further extended their lead before Lakai’s response and Richie Mo’unga’s conversion set the stage for a nail-biting finish. New Zealand pressed hard for a late score, but Wales held on to claim victory in front of a jubilant home crowd.
