Wales beat New Zealand 35-28 for first win over All Blacks since 1953

Wales beat New Zealand 35-28 in a Nations Championship match in Cardiff on 14 November 2026. It was Wales's first win over New Zealand since 1953, 73 years earlier. The result ended a run of 34 straight defeats against the All Blacks.

Wales scored five tries, through Tomos Williams, Dewi Lake, Archie Griffin, Eddie James and Louis Rees-Zammit. Sam Costelow kicked conversions for Wales. New Zealand scored four tries, through Cortez Ratima, Wallace Sititi, Fehi Fineanganofo and Peter Lakai. Richie Mo'unga kicked their conversions.

Wales led 14-0 early, then 21-7 in the first half. The score was 21-21 at half-time. Early in the second half, James and Rees-Zammit scored. Williams gave the final pass for both tries. Lakai's try brought New Zealand within seven points. Wales then held out, and there was no further scoring in roughly the last 25 minutes. New Zealand were held up over the Wales try line more than once in the closing stages.

According to BBC Sport, the match was played at the Principality Stadium, and Wales led 35-21 before New Zealand's final try. BBC Sport also reported that some bookmakers offered odds of 20-1 on a Wales win. According to The Guardian, Williams scored the first try within 90 seconds.

Context

Wales, coached by Steve Tandy, had beaten Japan in their previous match. BBC Sport put that score at 28-21. Adam Beard started at lock. According to France 24, Tandy paired him with Dafydd Jenkins to improve the lineout.

New Zealand made eight changes from their previous match, a win over Scotland. BBC Sport put that score at 43-21. Full-back Beauden Barrett captained New Zealand for the first time, in his 149th Test.

Welsh rugby had faced poor results and off-field difficulties before the match. According to The Guardian, Wales had won five of 31 Tests since the 2023 World Cup, all against teams outside the top eight. The Guardian also reported a crowd of about 55,000, some way short of the stadium's capacity. BBC Sport put the crowd at 55,152, the lowest of the 14 Wales v New Zealand matches at the venue.

Despite the defeat, New Zealand moved to the top of the championship's southern table. The Guardian reported that they collected two bonus points.

What is disputed

• Wales's changes from the Japan match: five, according to France 24, and four, according to BBC Sport.
• How often New Zealand were held up late: a couple of times, according to France 24, and three times, according to BBC Sport.
• When Wales reached 14-0: after seven minutes (France 24), inside six minutes (BBC Sport) or after barely five minutes (The Guardian).
• The New Zealand coach's first name: "Dave" in BBC Sport and "Davie" in France 24.

What each side says

Before the match, New Zealand coach Dave Rennie named Williams as a danger player. He also said New Zealand needed to eliminate Jac Morgan's threat at the breakdown, according to BBC Sport. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any post-match comments from either team.

Analysis

The result ends a 73-year gap. It came at a time when Welsh rugby faced poor results, off-field difficulties and a below-capacity crowd. One possible reading is that the win could lift interest and confidence. Another is that it is one result, and Wales's record since 2023 suggests caution. For New Zealand, eight changes and a new captain may give the defeat a different weight. They still lead the southern table. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not give full standings or post-match views. The wider effect will depend on the remaining fixtures.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.