All Blacks suffer 73-year first in defeat to Wales

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Wales have pulled off one of the greatest wins in their recent history, beating the All Blacks for the first time in 73 years in a Nations Championship boilover.

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

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

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

"It's come from belief. Obviously, we've got the crowd behind us, and the energy and the noise was unbelievable," Welsh man of the match James Botham said.

"We've been training on the defensive side of things, and it shows how training has come on and just how much we have got each other's back."

The Wales players team were in tears at the end amid raucous celebrations at Cardiff's 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, but were held up over the line three times, 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.

"A hell of a defensive effort from them," New Zealand coach Dave Rennie said.

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