Wales end 73-year wait with shock victory over New Zealand in Cardiff
Wales beat New Zealand in Cardiff on 14 November 2026 in this championship, securing their first win over the All Blacks since 1953. An extraordinary defensive display in the final half-hour preserved the result.
Around 55,000 spectators filled Cardiff’s stadium, which the report described as short of capacity but sounding as if it were full as Wales' crowd roared each defensive stop. New Zealand had made eight changes after dispatching Scotland, a selection shift the article says left them vulnerable, and Wales started the match with high intensity. The piece singled out Tomos Williams as one of a growing number of world-class players around whom Wales are building a new team and noted the forwards, including Archie Griffin, were increasingly competitive.
Wales struck inside 90 seconds when Tomos Williams recovered a loose ball after a Louis Rees-Zammit chip and grounded the try following a cut-out pass that announced the visitors' intentions. A few minutes later Wales sent a penalty to the corner and Dewi Lake picked a line off a Williams pass to score; Sam Costelow converted and Wales led 14-0 with barely five minutes played.
New Zealand responded within 10 minutes through Cortez Ratima, who broke blind from an attacking lineout to score. Wales extended their lead when Archie Griffin barged over from another penalty to the corner, opening up a 21-7 advantage as the game entered the second quarter. Wallace Sititi, described as a fixed reference at the base of the scrum, then drove over after a penalty to the corner following Asafo Aumua’s drive to register New Zealand’s second on the half-hour.
With time up in the first half Wales again sent a penalty to touch but missed at the lineout, allowing New Zealand to manufacture a telling final passage. Sititi and Aumua were central to that move, and nearly three minutes into the red clock Quinn Tupaea fed Fehi Fineanganofo, who went over to tie the scores at the break.
Wales struck twice inside 10 minutes of the restart. Rees-Zammit threatened down one wing, James Botham down the other, and Williams finished a sustained approach by sending Eddie James over in the corner; Costelow converted from the touchline. After Jac Morgan won a penalty Wales elected to kick to the corner again, Lake drove close and Williams then sent Rees-Zammit over to stretch the lead to 14 points with half an hour remaining.
New Zealand responded with Peter Lakai driving over from close range after sustained pressure to reduce the deficit to within a score with 25 minutes to play. In the closing stages Wales repelled wave after wave of New Zealand attacks, with notable tackles from Eddie James, Gareth Jones, James Botham and Max Llewellyn helping to hold out the visitors.
New Zealand will claim top spot in the southern table of this championship, but courtesy of two bonus points, rather than the five-pointer everyone expected.