Sportsupdated 19m ago2 min read
Archive photo · 14 October 2022Wales Defeat New Zealand All Blacks 35-28 To End 73-Year Hoodoo
“But the changes made them vulnerable, as did the assumptions implicit”
“He attributed the performance to ‘belief’”
Photo: Dominic Nelson, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped for layout
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Wales defeated New Zealand for first time in 73 years, 35-28, at Principality Stadium. Crowd of about 55,000 witnessed dramatic celebrations after the historic upset.
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Wales end hoodoo
Wales defeated the All Blacks 35-28 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to secure their first victory against New Zealand in 73 years. BBC match details showed Wales led 14-0, 21-7 and 35-21 before holding off New Zealand with a defensive display in the final quarter. Steve Tandy said to S4C, "The effort that the players and staff have put in over the last 15 months or so, they got what they deserved today."
James Botham, who claimed the player of the match award, was reduced to tears at the final whistle after the 55,152 crowd watched Wales tear up the form book. A BBC match report listed the Nations Championship scoring as Wales tries from Tomos Williams, Dewi Lake, Archie Griffin, Eddie James and Louis Rees-Zammit, with New Zealand tries from Cortez Ratima, Wallace Sititi, Fehi Fineanganofo and Peter Lakai.
Botham, Tandy, and emotion
James Botham told ITV after being crowned man of the match, "I can't even describe my emotions. Emotions are running high."
Steve Tandy said to S4C that "The boys have created history, they've got to celebrate and enjoy that moment, we want to back up performances, but we have to celebrate these moments."
Wales led the match through tries from Tomos Williams and captain Dewi Lake inside the first six minutes, before New Zealand levelled to 21-21 at half-time.
Flankers James Botham and Jac Morgan and lock Dafydd Jenkins delivered the defensive stand as New Zealand were held up three times over the line.
The 55,152 crowd was the lowest in the 14 matches between Wales and New Zealand at the Principality Stadium.
Next fixtures and stakes
Wales will host the Wallabies in the sixth and final group stage match of the Nations Championship. New Zealand will face England at Twickenham after the 35-28 result. Wales broke a 34-match losing sequence against the All Blacks that stretched back to 1953.
“Wales will host the Wallabies, while New Zealand will face England at Twickenham.”
The match became a nine-try Nations Championship thriller, with Wales leading 14-0, 21-7 and 35-21 before they held off New Zealand. Wales had managed five wins in 31 Tests since the last World Cup, all of them against teams outside the top 10, before beating the All Blacks.