Wales delivered a historic performance on Saturday, beating New Zealand 35‑28 in the Nations Championship and snapping a 73‑year streak of losses to the All Blacks. The match, held at the national stadium, saw Wales set the tone with a second‑minute try by Tomos Williams and never fell behind.
Key moments and standout performances
The Welsh side built a seven‑point lead early and withstood sustained pressure from New Zealand for the final 27 minutes. Coach Steve Tandy praised his players, saying they were “over‑brave” before halftime and remained composed in the closing stages.
Defensively, Wales recorded an impressive 346 tackles, led by lock Dafydd Jenkins with 36, flanker Jac Morgan with 31, and James Botham with 30. New Zealand managed three tries in the last quarter but were stopped each time, including a crucial hold by Gareth Thomas on Wallace Sititi.
Impact on the Nations Championship
The upset reshapes the race to the tournament final. South Africa and New Zealand entered the weekend unbeaten, but South Africa fell to France 21‑19 on Friday, allowing New Zealand to move ahead in the standings. The All Blacks now face England next weekend, while South Africa will play Ireland.
Wales’ victory follows a difficult period for the team, which had lost 34 straight matches to New Zealand and endured a record 18‑match losing streak earlier last year. The win was celebrated on the field with embraces and tears of joy, underscoring the significance of the achievement for Welsh rugby fans.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
