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

Wales defeated New Zealand 35-28 at Principality Stadium on Saturday, November 14, securing a landmark victory in the Nations Championship. Rugby Australia's match centre confirmed the seven-point result in Cardiff. The Guardian reported that it was Wales' first win over the All Blacks since 1953, ending a 73-year wait.

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The home side finished with five tries, scored by Tomos Williams, captain Dewi Lake, Archie Griffin, Eddie James and Louis Rees-Zammit. Sam Costelow converted all five, contributing 10 points. New Zealand replied through Cortez Ratima, Wallace Sititi, Fehi Fineanganofo and Peter Lakai, with Richie Mo'unga adding all four conversions. Neither team needed a penalty goal to build its final total.

Williams and Lake supplied Wales' first two tries before Ratima opened New Zealand's account. Griffin's score helped the hosts establish a 21-7 advantage, but the visitors recovered before the interval. Sititi and Fineanganofo crossed to bring the teams level at 21-21, wiping out the early Welsh lead and leaving the contest balanced at half-time.

James and Rees-Zammit then scored after the restart, restoring a 14-point Welsh advantage. Lakai's try and Mo'unga's conversion reduced the deficit to seven, but New Zealand could not find another score. Wales' two second-half tries proved sufficient to secure the win after the teams had each scored three before the break.

The victory followed Wales' 28-21 success against Japan in the previous round. According to the Welsh Rugby Union's team announcement, head coach Steve Tandy made four starting changes for the New Zealand match. Taine Basham was selected at number eight for his first Wales appearance since the 2024 Six Nations, while James Botham started at blindside flanker. Adam Beard joined Dafydd Jenkins at lock, and Gabriel Hamer-Webb came into the back line on the wing.

Wales' next scheduled Nations Championship fixture is against Australia at Principality Stadium on November 21, with kick-off set for 20:10 local time, according to the WRU. That completes their three-match November home programme. The competition then moves to its finals weekend at Twickenham from November 27 to 29, when all 12 participating teams will contest their final placings.