Ecstatic scenes at Welsh bar in New Zealand as Wales beat All Blacks
Nation.Cymru staff
The distance from Cardiff to Wellington in New Zealand is 11,726 miles, but the cheers from the little Welsh bar down under were as loud as any witnessed at the Principality Stadium, as Wales finally beat the All Blacks after a 73-year wait.
It was an early 3am start for the staff and rugby fans at the award-winning Welsh Dragon Bar run by general manager Hannah Williams from Wrexham and co-owner Andrew Jones from Tonyrefail.
The independent, Welsh-themed pub located at 10a Cambridge Terrace, Mount Victoria in Wellington is renowned as the only Welsh bar in the Southern Hemisphere, serving as a popular cultural hub for Welsh expats and locals alike.
Housed in a quirky, listed historic building – an old tram station toilet with a domed roof it’s affectionately nicknamed “the Taj Mahal” by locals.
And there was plenty of Welsh favourites on tap such as Brains SA beer, Wrexham lager, and Penderyn whiskies as rugby fans settled down to watch what become a historic event, even if given the time it might have been soft drinks only to begin with.
As the minutes which seemed like hours ticked by until the 80th minute, the outpouring of joy was off the scale.
As a video posted to the bar’s social media channels showed there were ecstatic scenes that meant so much to the Welsh expats down under, who must have thought they would never live to see a Wales win over their adopted country.
So sit back and enjoy the scenes of mayhem at this little part of Wales in New Zealand.
It’s been quite the week for the bar famous for hosting Mid-Winter Christmas celebrations in June/July, pub quizzes, live music, and special viewings like the Gavin and Stacey finale. They’ve also become award winners.
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