Barrett credits Wales defence as early figures put Jenkins on 38 tackles

New Zealand captain Beauden Barrett credited Wales' defensive resistance after the All Blacks lost 35-28 in Cardiff on Saturday, with BBC Sport reporting 346 tackles by the home team. Lock Dafydd Jenkins led that effort with 38 as Wales protected a seven-point advantage to secure their first victory over New Zealand since 1953.

Watch the highlights:

The BBC's post-match coverage said initial statistics placed Jenkins alongside Thierry Dusautoir's single-match world record, also achieved against New Zealand in 2007. That comparison remained based on preliminary figures. Jac Morgan and player of the match James Botham were also reported to have made more than 30 tackles each, illustrating how the defensive workload extended beyond Jenkins.

Three times during the second half, Wales prevented New Zealand from grounding the ball after reaching the try-line, according to the BBC. Those interventions helped preserve the winning margin. Wales also scored five tries, their highest total against the All Blacks, but Barrett's assessment focused on the difficulty his side had breaking down the hosts when New Zealand attacked.

Barrett, captaining New Zealand in a Test for the first time, said Wales deserved credit and highlighted the influence of the Cardiff crowd. The attendance was 55,152, which the BBC reported was the lowest for a Wales-New Zealand fixture at Principality Stadium. Despite that figure, Barrett described the atmosphere as an additional challenge for the visiting team.

Wales captain Dewi Lake watched the closing stages from the sidelines after being replaced. He told the BBC he stopped watching with a minute and 20 seconds remaining and waited for the final whistle. Lake described the celebrations with his teammates and coaches as a reward for their daily work, after a result that ended Wales' run of 34 defeats against New Zealand.

Head coach Steve Tandy said his players needed to enjoy the achievement before turning their attention to Australia, who visit Cardiff the following Saturday. He acknowledged Dafydd Jenkins' pre-match request for Monday off if Wales won, while stressing that the squad would need to be ready to work on its return. Tandy described Australia as a different test, leaving the players time to celebrate before preparations resumed.