Other1 min read

'One of the greatest wins' - Wales stun All Blacks to go from no-hopers to heroes

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Wales mounted an extraordinary defensive effort masterminded by coach Steve Tandy to repel New Zealand throughout the second half, repeatedly stopping the visitors over the try-line. Massive individual tackle counts across the forward pack powered the underdog side to the historic victory. The result ended decades of defeats under numerous prior regimes and triggered emotional celebrations among fans and former players alike.

Key points

  • The stunning upset ended a 73-year drought against an opponent effectively ranked number…: The stunning upset ended a 73-year drought against an opponent effectively ranked number one in the world.
  • Defensive masterminds and individual efforts saw multiple Welsh forwards, including Jac M…: Defensive masterminds and individual efforts saw multiple Welsh forwards, including Jac Morgan and James Botham, surpass 30 tackles each.
  • Former fly-half Dan Biggar viewed the Cardiff triumph as world rugby's biggest shock sinc…: Former fly-half Dan Biggar viewed the Cardiff triumph as world rugby's biggest shock since Japan upset South Africa in 2015.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

One of the greatest Wales wins of all time.

That is how former captain Sam Warburton described the monumental result against New Zealand in Cardiff on Saturday.

At the time of the kick-off, the All Blacks were effectively the top-ranked side in the world following South Africa's tension-filled loss to France on Friday night.

So no-one gave Wales a glimmer of hope - even Warburton - with some bookmakers offering odds of 30-1 during the week.

The question, not of when but can Wales beat the All Blacks again has beset them since 1953.

That 73-year wait has been marred by cheating, national scandal and pure sporting drama.

Little wonder then that few wanted to leave the Principality Stadium long after the final whistle had sparked unprecedented scenes of utter joy, tears and relief to the strains of Yma O Hyd.

The outpouring of unbridled emotion after a losing run - stretching across 34 matches - that has hung like a millstone around the necks of generations of Wales players.

Warburton himself was part of one of the…

Other