The Nations Championship is a biennial rugby tournament that where the Southern hemisphere countries face-off against the Northern hemisphere countries. The first edition is nearing its end.
The race for the top spot in the Southern section is only between South Africa and New Zealand. The same can't be said for the Northern section. It's a three way race between Ireland; England and France.
This past weekend saw one of its biggest upsets when Wales defeated New Zealand.
As Welsh rugby fans wake up on Sunday morning the realisation will dawn on them. It has happened. Wales have finally beaten the All Blacks again. For the first time in 73 years - after 34 defeats - 19 December 1953 is now joined by 14 November 2026 as a defining date in Welsh rugby history.
Thousands of young kids will this morning be turning up to rugby training or matches, driven by parents who have a hint of a headache, with this magical day fresh in the memory.
Steve Tandyâs heroes will always have this moment, with inspirational captain Dewi Lake and player-of-the-match James Botham shedding tears. "Best day of my life," concluded Wales centre Eddie James.
Many will concur.
It was a result that sent shockwaves throughout Wales but also around the sporting world. Friends and relatives who had not been in contact for ages messaged each other to revel in or discuss the result.
People reminisced that their parents or grandparents never saw this day. There was jubilation in Cardiff but also disbelief at the timing and magnitude of the occasion.
Welsh rugby has been in disarray since the end of the 2023 World Cup after so many of the golden generation retired.
The Wales menâs national team slumped to a record 18 straight Test defeats in a winless run that lasted 16 months as the side slipped to a lowest world ranking of 14th.
Tandy had only won four Tests in 13 matches, those victories coming against Japan twice, Fiji and Italy. His side had been hammered twice by world champions South Africa without scoring a point and conceding 116.
So when they awoke on Saturday morning; hardly anybody outside the camp would've thought this Welsh team would succeed where previous Grand Slam-winning sides had failed to topple New Zealand.
There had been hope, even occasional expectation, before previous contests. That was generally not the feeling this time around, as Wales - ranked 10th in the world - took on a New Zealand side that were ranked top before kick-off in Cardiff.
So where does this staggering result stand in Welsh rugby history?
There have been some wonderful days, with Grand Slam successes clinched in Cardiff in 1976; 1978; 2005; 2008; 2012 and 2019.
Then there was the 30-3 drubbing of England in Cardiff in 2013 to clinch the Six Nations title; while Warren Gatland's side defeated the same opponents two years later at Twickenham in the World Cup.
This is New Zealand though. The All Blacks. A Wales win an achievement many thought might never happen again.
Some might question people for celebrating a victory against a New Zealand side that had rested some top players. You will not find many of those in Wales today.
"I have never seen a performance like that from the men in red," said Radio Wales commentator, Cennydd Davies. "They have emptied the tank and created history."
Steve Tandy has created history by becoming the first Wales coach to beat New Zealand. Wales had no head coach when they defeated the All Blacks in 1905; 1935 and 1953, with David Nash the inaugural appointment in 1967.
Tandy has succeeded where World Cup-winning coaches Sir Graham Henry and Steve Hansen failed by masterminding a Welsh success against New Zealand.
Welsh Grand Slam-winning coaches like Gatland, Clive Rowlands, John Dawes and Mike Ruddock also couldn't inspire the feat Tandy has now achieved.
The unassuming man from Tonmawr in south Wales has had a tough initiation in his first 15 months as an international head coach but has now announced his arrival on the Test stage.
Tandy has had to deal with questions over his selections and coaching style but nobody could ever question whether he has the backing of the squad or the way he has immersed himself in the job.
Players often reference the way Tandy keeps in touch, whether they are based in Wales or ply their club trade in England.
This squad play both for each other and for Tandy. There was no greater evidence of that than on Saturday. Tandy has also finally been provided with a permanent back room staff. It is reaping the rewards.
Tandy earned his international stripes as a defence coach with Scotland and the British and Irish Lions.
The arrival of Peter Murchie, who is in his second campaign as defence coach, is starting to pay dividends with former Wales flanker Dan Lydiate providing able support.
Nothing portrayed the evidence of Welsh players' commitment to the Tandy cause than the superhuman defensive effort of the final quarter.
Official rugby statistics are often hard to pin down, especially defensive ones.
Different sites produce slightly differing numbers that are often modified over time when games are analysed again.
The official Nations Championship chart confirmed Wales made a record tally of 346 tackles.
Lock Dafydd Jenkins tops the charts at 38, which matches the tally set by France captain Thierry Dusautoir against New Zealand in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final at the same Cardiff ground.
Jenkins was followed by Jac Morgan (31), Botham (30), centre Eddie James (25) and Lake (24). Wales had the top nine tacklers on the field; with replacement prop Gareth Thomas making 19 in just 26 minutes.
The heart and desire was evident in a final quarter where Wales didn't concede a try and New Zealand captain Beauden Barrett remarked afterwards the All Blacks felt they had hit a brick wall.
A final quarter in which the All Blacks were held up over the Welsh line on three occasions following major interventions from flankers Botham and Morgan and replacements Thomas and Dan Edwards.
A final quarter in which James provided a remarkable try-saving tackle and replacement number eight Taine Plumtree secured two vital turnovers.
Traditionally, the All Blacks have eased away in these closing stages. Not on this occasion.
This was a victory for guts and glory, summed up by BBC rugby correspondent, Chris Jones, who said: "These results don't happen in international rugby these days."
"It can happen in football where you get an early goal and then itâs backs against the wall and you win 1-0. In rugby, teams are too powerful and well-drilled, the superior side normally prevails, the resistance eventually breaks and the dam bursts. But that didn't happen in Cardiff. The Welsh defence was heroic."
The remarkable rearguard resistance is what will live long in the memory but Walesâ victory was also built on the clinical offensive game most evident at the start of each half.
Wales were never behind in the game as they held leads of 14-0; 21-7 and 35-21.
That was thanks to tries from Tomos Williams and Lake within the first six minutes of the game and a couple more from centre James and Louis Rees-Zammit at the start of the second half.
Prop Archie Griffin also popped up with a score as Wales crossed for five tries; the most they have scored against New Zealand in Cardiff.
The attacking orchestrator was scrum-half Williams, who enjoyed one of his finest games for Wales, with his long passing repertoire in full flow.
Williams was ably assisted by half-back partner Sam Costelow, who has had to endure criticism during his short international career in Walesâ most high profile jersey.
Fly-half Costelow answered those doubts with an assured performance and also kicked beautifully with five conversions.
Rees-Zammit and New Zealand born full-back, Blair Murray, continually stretched the All Blacks defence; while centre James proved he is a Test match performer.
A footnote to the day was that the game was played in front of 55 152, the lowest attendance for this fixture at the Principality Stadium. It was 13 000 fewer than 12 months ago with almost 20 000 empty seats on show.
The fans that stayed away missed out on a magical afternoon as the players produced a performance worthy of a full stadium. Those in attendance made themselves heard with Barrett stating it felt like New Zealand were facing 16 or 17 players.
"Since I've been here, I've loved what the crowd brings," said Tandy. "I believe we've got the best stadium in the world and it is inspiring for our players and supporters being part of that. It is what it is. We had 50-odd thousand here but we've got to perform and hopefully we can grow that. I see what the boys do in the communities also and how they connect to our people."
The division and acrimony in Welsh rugby in recent years meant that it was always going to take a remarkable result like this to provide an opportunity to bring opposing factions together.
Captain Dewi Lake says he always believed Wales could defeat New Zealand and end the 73-year hoodoo against the All Blacks.
Wales never trailed in the 35-28 victory as they produced a magnificent display to beat New Zealand for the first time since 1953. Wales had lost the previous 34 matches in the fixture and had odds of 20-1 with the bookmakers before this game.
Lake says the group thought they could win against a New Zealand team ranked second in the world and would've gone top if they had beaten Wales.
"Of course we did," said Lake. "Sometimes we sit in front of the media and say we can beat them and it's probably a passing comment for some media outlets or people at home."
"It's not for us. We work hard, we have tough conversations, not only players, but coaches and staff. There is much hard work that goes on for this group to grow and succeed. For it to finally come to fruition and see it on the field makes me so proud."
Wales led 14-0 and 21-7 in the first half before the All Blacks levelled the score at half-time. That is when New Zealand have traditionally gone away to secure victory, as they did 12 months ago in a 52-26 success but there was no repeat this time.
"I did love it at half-time with the playing group, listening to them talk to each other," said Tandy. "The way the skipper spoken about around what's coming from the next 40 minutes was outstanding."
Lake added: "I won't tell you exactly what I said because I think that's a privilege that the group that we're in the room should keep. But it was more or less a flashback to 12 months ago when we were in a similar position at half-time. We were not quite in the lead or drawing, but there or thereabouts and it was just a reminder of that feeling for us."
Wales responded with two more tries before New Zealand brought back the deficit to within seven points.
What followed was a defensive effort rarely seen by Wales in recent years with Gareth Thomas, James Botham, Jac Morgan and Dan Edwards involved in holding up New Zealand over the home line on three occasions while there were also two vital turnovers from replacement, Taine Plumtree.
The home side made 346 tackles, with lock Dafydd Jenkins topping the chart with 38 and flankers Morgan and Botham not far behind.
The work of Tandy and defensive coaching duo Peter Murchie and Dan Lydiate was rewarded with heart and skill.
"The players were brave but also phenomenal and showed great physicality," said Tandy. New Zealand threw everything at us but the boys got what they deserved and in big games you have to hang on."
There might have been only 55 152 in the ground, which was the lowest attendance for a Wales and New Zealand fixture at the Principality Stadium but they roared the home side onto a famous victory.
Lake summed up the events at the final whistle as he was on the sidelines after being replaced."It was almost like you were blocked out things, said Lake.
"You heard the noise but it was like background noise. I think I stopped watching with a minute and 20 seconds left and just waited for the whistle, which I have done before, but this one was different. To celebrate with the boys that you work hard with every day, and the coaches that come in and make you better, is an amazing feeling."
Lock Jenkins stated before the game he was asking for Monday off if Wales beat New Zealand; with Tandy's side facing Australia in Cardiff next Saturday.
"We've got to savour moments because history tells you this doesn't happen very often, and we need to make make sure we enjoy this," said Tandy.
"I'm sure every rugby club out there is going to be celebrating tonight but it's making sure when we come in, maybe Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, if Daf gets his way, that we're ready to work. Because Australia will be a different test."
That can wait as Wales reflect on halting New Zealand's seven decades of dominance over them.
Welsh rugbyâs issues will not be solved by one win. What a win and yes; It did happen.
I am thrilled with the result. This will give South Africa a chance to top the Southern section. I wasn't expecting this result. I was expecting an All Blacks rampage.
The Welsh team need to carry this momentum all the way to February - March of next year to succeed in the Six Nations. This result can't be taken for granted. They have to build on from the foundations that led to this performance and result. Fail to do so and they will find themselves in a similar situation as yesteryear.