Cheating, scandal and drama – Wales agony v All Blacks

Wales have lost to New Zealand in every meeting since their 1953 victory, a run that has lasted more than 70 years and weighed heavily on generations of Welsh players. Two near misses stand out: a disputed late penalty in 1978 and a one-point defeat in 2004, when Wales thought they had more time to attack.

In 1978, New Zealand led 12-10 after scoring the only try, but Wales dominated much of the match. All Blacks lock Andy Haden later said he had planned to dive from a line-out to win a penalty; referee Roger Quittenton awarded it, and Brian McKechnie kicked the winning points. In 2004, tries by Tom Shanklin and Mefin Davies helped Wales lead at half-time, while Joe Rokocoko scored twice for New Zealand; Wales finished a point behind after Stephen Jones kicked the ball away, believing injury time remained.