Beauden Barrett left with unwanted history as Wales U20 graduates do the unthinkable

In the Welsh jersey, Sir Gareth Edwards, Barry John, JPR Williams, Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones and Shane Williams are among the legends who never beat the All Blacks.

On November 14, 2026, after 34 consecutive defeats to the All Blacks since 1953 and just five wins in 31 tests since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, all against teams outside the top 10, Wales stunned the All Blacks 35-28 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Wales was priced at 16/1 before kick-off. The All Blacks were as short as 1/200 to win in Cardiff.

It is scarcely believable that, regardless of what else they achieve, names like Dafydd Jenkins (38 tackles), Jac Morgan (31 tackles, 4 turnovers) and Eddie James will become part of Welsh rugby folklore.

Interestingly, however, Wales beat New Zealand 8-7 in heavy rain on June 19 at the 2019 World Rugby Under-20 Championships in Rosario, Argentina. This win secured Wales a fifth-place playoff after both countries had exited semi-final contention in the round-robin.

Wales captain that day was their captain today, hooker Dewi Lake. It’s a modern-day Sid Judd. In 1953, the flanker and school teacher scored for Cardiff in their 8-3 win against the All Blacks in November 1953 and backed it up with a try three weeks later in the Wales 13-8 win over the All Blacks. Remarkably, no Cardiff forwards were originally selected for the test, with Judd only coming in as an injury replacement for Glyn Davies.

Fast foward to Rosario and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler’s kick-and-chase try gave Wales a lead that lasted from the 17th to the 70th minute.

The match took over two hours to complete. An approaching storm forced a suspension of play for more than an hour in the 30th minute.

When play resumed, New Zealand replacement lock Samipeni Finau was sin-binned for a high tackle. Despite this, New Zealand controlled possession and territory.

With ten minutes remaining, lock Tupou Vaa’i scored a try and Fergus Burke converted for a New Zealand 7-5 lead. After missing four earlier kicks, Burke’s rival 10 Cai Evans struck a decisive penalty in the dying moments.

New Zealand included lock Taine Plumtree, born in Swansea in 2000. His father, John, was an All Blacks assistant coach. Taine came off the bench for Wales in the 35-28 All Blacks win, making 12 tackles and snatching two turnovers.

Wales ‘ Under-20 win in 2019 was their second at the Under-20 level against New Zealand. In 2012, Wales ended New Zealand’s 21-match winning streak at the tournament in South Africa with a shock 9-6 win, following a 92-0 humiliation the previous year.

The teams from the 2019 Wales Under-20 v New Zealand Under-20 encounter were. Played bolded highlight those that played senior internationals for All Blacks and Wales.

Wales U20s (15-1): Ioan Davies (Cardiff Blues); Deon Smith (Dragons), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues), Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler (Ospreys), Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets); Cai Evans (Ospreys), Dafydd Buckland (Dragons); Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Dewi Lake (capt, Ospreys), Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues), Morgan Jones (Scarlets), Jac Price (Scarlets), Lennon Greggains (Dragons), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Jac Morgan (Aberavon/Scarlets).

Replacements: Garin Lloyd (Ospreys), Rhys Davies (Ospreys), Nick English (Bristol Bears), Ed Scragg (Dragons), Iestyn Rees (Scarlets), Harri Morgan (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Sam Costelow (Leicester Tigers), Teddy Williams (Cardiff Blues), Tom Devine (Dragons), Ioan R Davies (Cardiff Blues), Will Griffiths (Dragons), Tomi Lewis (Scarlets)

New Zealand U20s (15-1): Scott Gregory; Lalomilo Lalomilo, Quinn Tupaea, Dallas McLeod, Leicester Fainga’anuku; Fergus Burke, Taufa Funaki; Ollie Norris, Kianu Kereru Symes (capt), Taine Plumtree, Tupou Vaa’i, Kaylum Boshier, Kohan Herbert, Devan Flanders.

Replacements: Shilo Klein, George Dyer, Fletcher Newell, Kaliopasi Uluilakepa, Cullen Grace, Samipeni Finau, Jeriah Mua, Simon Parker, Leroy Carter, Rivez Reihana, Billy Proctor, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Cole Forbes.

Note: Tomi Lewis, Scott Gregory and Etene Nanai-Seturo were Sevens internationals for their adopted countries. Fergus Burke has been capped by Scotland, and Lalomilo Lalomilo by Samoa.

All Black Captains Not To Win A Test

Beaduen Barrett is the longest-serving All Black in terms of days in the jersey ever, but unless reappointed captain in a victory, he will join a short and unfortunate list of All Black test captains to have never won an international.

Ted Roberts
0-0 v South Africa, September 17, 1921, Wellington

Herbie Lilburne
8-9 v Australia, July 6, 1929, Sydney

Rusty Page
11-25 v Australia, August 11, 1934, Sydney

Johnny Smith
6-11 v Australia, September 6, 1949, Wellington
9-16 v Australia, September 24, 1949, Auckland

Stu Wilson
25-25 v Scotland, November 12, 1983, Edinburgh
9-15 v England, November 19, 1983, London

Note: At 21 years and 112 days, five-eighth and fullback Lilburne remains the All Blacks’ youngest test captain. Smith was the first player to win the Tom French Cup as Maori player of the year in 1949.

He served as a fill-in captain while the primary All Blacks toured South Africa, where they lost the series 4-0. Wilson was the first All Black to captain his country in a test from the wing.