All Blacks v Wales: World reacts to New Zealand’s historic loss in Cardiff

ملخص مفصل

The iconic Principality Stadium in Cardiff was the stage that Richie Mo’unga needed to relaunch his international career and stamp his mark on the All Blacks’ number 10 shirt, an…

How the world’s media reacted to the All Blacks’ 35-28 loss at the Principality Stadium.

The iconic Principality Stadium in Cardiff was the stage that Richie Mo’unga needed to relaunch his international career and stamp his mark on the All Blacks’ number 10 shirt, an opportunity he failed to take.

Dave Rennie rang the changes for New Zealand’s second November Nations Championship match as they went toe-to-toe with a Welsh team that they were expected to beat and beat well. Instead, they were stunned by a magnificent Wales team that were quite simply the better team on the day. They tackled and tackled and tackled, producing an unbelievable upset to beat the All Blacks for the first time since 1953.

Mo’unga was handed the playmaking reins along with fullback Beauden Barrett, with the duo combining once again as they have countless times previously in the black jersey. Frankly, this was supposed to be a foregone conclusion; the All Blacks were supposed to rock up in Cardiff, score tries for fun and move on to Twickenham to tackle England.

Instead, Steve Tandy’s charges had other ideas as a spirited, brave and brutal Welsh outfit pitched up, battered the New Zealanders’ ball carriers, took the battle to the air, were furious on the deck, and put in a performance that stunned the rugby world. It was the kind of performance that we had not seen from a Welsh team since Warren Gatland’s heyday in charge of the side some six or so years ago; it feels like longer, probably is. Under Gatland, they threatened a maiden win over the men from Aotearoa but never had the finishing touches, but no Welshman will forget 14 November 2026.

Would you believe it? For the first time in 73 years, Wales have beaten the All Blacks as the doors of immortality swung open for a national squad written off by all but themselves here at a disbelieving Principality Stadium.

Generation after generation had been awaiting this afternoon, but nobody expected this particular group of players to achieve what…

On…

مطلع المقال، مقتطف من NZ Herald. لقراءة المقال كاملًا، افتحه على موقع الناشر.