Magnificent Wales end 73-year New Zealand hoodoo

Nations Championship

Wales (21) 35

Tries: T Williams, Lake, Griffin, James, Rees-Zammit Cons: Costelow 5

New Zealand (21) 28

Tries: Ratima, Sititi, Fineanganofo, Lakai Cons: Mo'unga 4.

Wales celebrated a first victory against New Zealand in 73 years with a brilliant performance to spark astonishing scenes in Cardiff.

Steve Tandy's unfancied side lifted a nation as they broke a 34-match losing sequence against the All Blacks that stretched back to 1953.

In a nine-try Nations Championship thriller at the Principality Stadium, Wales led 14-0, 21-7 and 35-21 before they held off New Zealand with a wonderful defensive display in the final quarter, led by flankers James Botham and Jac Morgan and lock Dafydd Jenkins.

The home side produced a stunning start with tries from inspirational scrum-half Tomos Williams and captain Dewi Lake inside the first six minutes.

Prop Archie Griffin also added a first-half try, but New Zealand responded with scores from scrum-half Cortez Ratima, number eight Wallace Sititi and wing Fehi Fineanganofo to level the score 21-21 at half-time.

Wales centre Eddie James and wing Louis Rees-Zammit scored early second-half tries before New Zealand flanker Peter Lakai pulled one back.

The remarkable Wales defence followed as they held up the All Blacks three times over the line to stop New Zealand scoring, to evoke wild celebrations.

Wales had won the first three games in this fixture in 1905, 1935 and 1953 but have had to wait more than seven decades for the next.

In 1953 the New Zealand dollar did not exist, Cardiff was not the capital city of Wales and tries were only worth three points.

Sections of the New Zealand media had belittled Welsh rugby before the game, while some bookmakers offered odds of 20-1 for a Wales victory.

Legends such as Sir Gareth Edwards, Alun Wyn Jones, Shane Williams, JPR Williams, Barry John and Phil Bennett had never enjoyed success against New Zealand in a Welsh jersey.

Now Tandy's class of 2026 have written their own chapter in Welsh rugby's history.

The 55,152 was the lowest crowd in the 14 matches between Wales and New Zealand at the Principality Stadium. The fans who stayed away will regret it because it was a day to say "I was there".

Welsh rugby has been in the doldrums for so long, on and off the field, but will hope this famous victory can help galvanise the nation.

This was one of the finest performances in Welsh rugby history and a world apart from the display in the 28-21 win against Japan last weekend.

New Zealand might regret failing to take advantage of France's victory against South Africa on Friday night but they still leapfrog the Springboks to top the southern section with one weekend of regular matches remaining.

Wales made four changes to the side that beat Japan, with Taine Basham making his first Test start in four years by replacing injured number eight Aaron Wainwright.

Leicester wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb was preferred to Josh Adams, who scored two tries against Japan, while lock Adam Beard and flanker Botham came in for Ben Carter and Alex Mann.

New Zealand made eight starting swaps from the team that beat Scotland 43-21, with full-back Beauden Barrett handed the Test captaincy for the first time in his 149th international.

New Zealand's haka was the usual piece of theatre as the All Blacks were lit up by a spotlight and Wales in red.

The hosts reacted quickest from the start with prop Nicky Smith winning a turnover before an excellent long pass from Williams released Rees-Zammit.

The wing chipped ahead and Williams, who New Zealand coach Dave Rennie had highlighted as a pre-match dangerman, pounced for the try.

Wales followed this up with a well-worked forward move and captain Lake latched onto a flat Williams pass to crash over.

It was the first time Wales had led New Zealand by 14 points and the home crowd began to dream.

New Zealand seemed shell-shocked but regathered themselves, and Ratima strolled over for an easy try from an attacking line-out.

Rennie stated before the match they needed to eliminate the threat of Morgan at the breakdown, but they failed to do that when the Wales flanker forced a turnover penalty.

This provided the platform for New Zealand-born Wales full-back Blair Murray to release Rees-Zammit, with only good defensive work by Beauden Barrett preventing a try.

New Zealand's defence kept Wales at bay with some important turnovers before a breathless period of play followed with both sides throwing wild passes.

Once matters had settled down, New Zealand made an unusual decision to go for a scrum in the Wales 22 after being given a penalty. This backfired when the visitors were penalised and it provided the hosts with fresh momentum.

The Wales line-out, which broke down against Japan with six throws going astray, was excellent in the opening quarter and provided the foundation for the third try.

After centre Max Llewellyn was initially denied under the All Blacks' posts, prop Griffin popped up for his second try in two weeks.

New Zealand learned from their earlier error by going for an attacking line-out rather than a scrum and Sititi, who was player of the match in this fixture 12 months ago, eventually dived over.

The All Blacks demonstrated their doggedness at the breakdown by forcing two penalties, while the home line-out began to creak with two overthrows.

New Zealand began to grind away and wing Fineanganofo flopped over with Mo'unga's conversion levelling the scores at half-time.

This was the time we assumed the script would follow the familiar tale of New Zealand pulling away. Wales had other ideas.

The hosts began the second half in the same fashion as the first, with scrum-half Williams again the architect as his long pass allowed James to crash over.

Morgan again tormented New Zealand to force another turnover penalty. Wales decided to go for the try and the decision was justified.

Williams' long pass allowed Rees-Zammit to cross for the fifth try which is the highest amount scored by Wales against New Zealand.

Two tries inside the first six minutes in the first half for Wales. A pair of scores inside eight minutes in the second.

New Zealand again regrouped, with flanker Lakai burrowing over as the All Blacks came within seven points.

Lakai almost inspired a fifth Kiwi try with a fine break but replacement prop Gareth Thomas had other ideas by expertly holding up Sititi over the Wales line, before Botham repeated the feat on hooker Asafo Aumua.

Replacement Wales eight Taine Plumtree gained two important turnovers before Tandy decided to take off his half-backs Williams and Costelow, with Ospreys duo Dan Edwards and Reuben Morgan-Williams tasked to see out the final 16 minutes.

Morgan-Williams and Morgan combined to hold up New Zealand for a third time over the line but the All Blacks onslaught kept coming.

Wales dug deep once more, tapping reserves of strength, discipline and concentration to repel that black wave.

The final whistle delivered the win this side and nation have deserved for so long, reducing players and fans alike to tears of joy.

Wales: Murray; Rees-Zammit, E James, Llewellyn, Hamer-Webb; Costelow, Tomos Williams; N Smith, Lake (capt), Griffin, D Jenkins, Beard, Botham, Morgan Basham.

Replacements: Elias, G Thomas, D Lewis, Carter, Plumtree, Morgan-Williams, Edwards, Hennessey.

New Zealand: B Barrett (capt); Fineanganofo, Tupaea, Lienert-Brown, Moorby; Mo'unga, Ratima; Bower, Aumua, Newell, S Barrett, Lord, Segner, Lakai, Sititi.

Replacements: Bell, Numia, Tosi, Hannah, E Blackadder, Fainga'anuku, Preston, R Ioane.

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

Assistants referees: Nic Berry (Australia) & Luc Ramos (France)

Television match official (TMO): Tual Trainini (France)

Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO): Leo Colgan (IRFU).