Welsh defence withstands late All Blacks surge to seal historic win

Wales ended a 73-year winless sequence against New Zealand with a stunning 35-28 victory in the Nations Championship on Saturday.

Wales, who last overcame the All Blacks in 1953 and have endured a dismal run in recent years, outscored the visitors five tries to four and produced a defensive performance for the ages to end a run of 34 losses to the three-time world champions.

They caught the visitors cold with two early tries and two more at the start of the second half, and heroic Welsh defence resisted waves of New Zealand attacks in the closing stages to hold on for a famous victory.

The Wales players were in tears at the end amid raucous celebrations at the Principality Stadium after Tomos Williams, Dewi Lake, Archie Griffin, Eddie James and Louis Rees-Zammit scored tries and Sam Costelow was immaculate with the boot.

New Zealand’s tries were scored by Cortez Ratima, Wallace Sititi, Fehi Fineanganofo and Peter Lakai, all converted by Richie Mo’unga.

Home supporters were pinching themselves as Wales took less than 90 seconds to open the scoring and crossed the All Blacks’ line for a second try five minutes later to move 14-0 ahead.

Williams’ long pass to Rees-Zammit set up the first try with the winger kicking the ball ahead and the scrumhalf following up and being first to dive on the loose ball.

Captain Lake scored the second try as he powered over from close range after Jac Morgan’s burst set up the opportunity.

Though New Zealand got their first try when scrumhalf Ratima easily broke through the home defence in the 10th minute, the Welsh were in dreamland when they had a third try after battering away at the Kiwi line with tighthead prop Archie Griffin powering over.

At halftime, however, the scores were level at 21-21 as New Zealand fought back with Sititi grabbing a try in the 32nd minute and winger Fineanganofo dotting down after a move started in his own half by Mo’unga and relentlessly driven forward with successive half breaks to exhaust the Welsh defence.

The All Blacks were then expected to romp away in the second half but Wales scored two quick tries to again catch their visitors cold.

After a series of carries through the middle, Williams’ long pass found James in the corner to score in the 44th minute.

Five minutes later a drive from a lineout put Rees-Zammit over and gave Wales a 35-21 lead.

Lakai reduced the deficit with a try to make it 35-28 in the 53rd minute, after which the All Blacks camped on the Welsh line but were denied by stoic and lung-busting defence.

Three times they were held up over the line with the Welsh defenders making a total of 346 tackles by the end of the game.

It was only the fourth time Wales had beaten New Zealand in 39 meetings.