Wales Had Lost 34 Straight to New Zealand Since 1953. It Scored Five Tries and Won 35-28 in Cardiff

Wales Had Lost 34 Straight to New Zealand Since 1953. It Scored Five Tries and Won 35-28 in Cardiff

Tomos Williams scored inside two minutes, Sam Costelow kicked all five conversions and Wales beat the All Blacks for the first time in 73 years before 55,152 at Principality Stadium.

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The last time Wales beat New Zealand at rugby, Dwight Eisenhower was in his first year as president. That was 1953. Thirty-four straight losses followed.

The streak ended Saturday in Cardiff. Wales scored five tries, converted every one of them and beat the All Blacks 35-28 in the Nations Championship in front of 55,152 at Principality Stadium, according to ESPN's match report.

For American readers who follow the sport only at World Cup time, the scale is this: New Zealand is rugby's measuring stick, and Wales had gone 73 years without getting past it.

Tomos Williams Scored Inside Two Minutes and Wales Led by 14 Three Times

Wales did not ease into it. Scrum-half Tomos Williams crossed inside the first two minutes, and Dewi Lake added a second try a few minutes later. Archie Griffin scored the third midway through the first half.

New Zealand kept answering. Cortez Ratima and Wallace Sititi scored, and Fehi Fineanganofo's try in first-half stoppage time sent the teams to the break level at 21-21.

The second half belonged to the home side early. Eddie James and Louis Rees-Zammit scored within about five minutes of each other to put Wales up 35-21. ESPN noted Wales led by 14 points on three separate occasions, and that it had never before scored five tries in a match against New Zealand.

Sam Costelow Went 5 for 5 on Conversions

In a seven-point game, the kicks mattered. Sam Costelow converted all five Welsh tries. Richie Mo'unga was just as clean for New Zealand, 4 for 4, so the margin came down to that fifth try.

Peter Lakai's score in the 53rd minute cut it to 35-28, and there the scoring stopped. Wales defended for the better part of half an hour, and ESPN reported the Welsh held New Zealand up over the goal line three times late. Flanker James Botham was named player of the match.

"The players were phenomenal," Wales coach Steve Tandy said, per Sky Sports.

Wales Hosts Australia Next, New Zealand Goes to Twickenham

Both teams play again on Saturday, Nov. 21. Wales stays at Principality Stadium to face Australia. New Zealand, coached by Dave Rennie, travels to London to play England at Twickenham.

More from the sport is on the BallerTube rugby page.