Sensational Springboks inflict record defeat on Scott Robertson’s off-key All Blacks

Saturday, 13 September 2025

At Sky Stadium, Wellington: Springboks 43 (Cheslin Kolbe 2 tries 25min, 43min, Damien Willemse try 61min, Kwagga Smith try 69min, RG Snyman try 73min, Andre Esterhuizen try 79min; Manie Libbok pen, 5 cons), All Blacks 10 (Leroy Carter try 18min; Damian McKenzie pen, con). HT: 7-10.

The future of South African rugby is now, with Rassie Erasmus’ exhilarating next-generation backline carving out a fabulous, record-breaking bounceback Rugby Championship victory over the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday night.

An out-of-sorts All Blacks outfit, continuing their one step forward, one backwards campaign, simply had no answer to the attacking intent and execution of the talented young Boks group whom Erasmus entrusted with responding to last week’s disappointing 24-17 defeat to the New Zealanders at Eden Park.

Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe takes on All Blacks opposite Will Jordan in the Rugby Championship clash b at Sky Stadium.

With five changes to his backline, and former All Black Tony Brown empowering them with an excellent attacking blueprint, the Boks tore apart the All Blacks with a 36-0 second 40 minutes to ease to a 43-10 victory that was comfortably the most conclusive ever inflicted on the New Zealanders, home or away.

It easily eclipsed the Boks’ 35-7 victory over the New Zealanders at Twickenham before the ‘23 World Cup, and smashed the previous record home defeat, 20-5 to Australia at Athletic Park in 1964.

The South Africans, dominant in every aspect of the game, scored six tries to one, and five unanswered in the second spell to run the All Blacks off the park in one of the finest performances in their glorious test history. The sad reality is that the score could have been even more lop-sided had the world champions been a bit more efficient in the first 40.

The result also creates a logjam in the Rugby Championship standings with all four teams on 2-2 records after four rounds.The Wallabies (11pts), defeated by Argentina (9) earlier in the day in Sydney, lead the table, with the All Blacks and Springboks both a point back.

The All Blacks, of course, meet the Wallabies over the final two rounds of the competition as they look to continue their 23-year Bledisloe tenure, first up in Auckland on September 27 and then, to close things out, in Perth on October 4.

Leroy Carter celebrates his try on debut for the All Blacks against South Africa at Sky Stadium.

It was just the Boks’ second victory in their last 13 tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand, but it was one dripping with consequence and ramifications.

The new-look Boks backline were fabulous, with only their first-half finishing touches letting them down in an exhilarating attacking display, led by a two-try turn from Cheslin Kolbe and an outstanding performance by Damian Willemse. Manie Libbok was special too, both off the tee and in general play, and big Ethan Hooker had a barnstorming display on the left wing. They dominated the aerial battle, too.

Up front Siya Kolisi was inspirational around the park, locks Ruan Nortje and RG Snyman exuded power and punch, the visitors won the scrum and lineout battle conclusively, and the big South African forwards laid on a frequent supply line of front-foot ball for their swift backs.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson and Boks opposite Rassie Erasmus share a handshake prior to the Wellington test.

It was a poor display all-round by the All Blacks who faded badly as the match wore on. Their lineout disintegrated in the second half, their scrum was beaten to the punch all night and they had no answer to the brilliant visitors. Leroy Carter did mark his debut with a well-taken first-half try, and Jordie Barrett toiled hard on defence.

The All Blacks somehow scrambled their way to a 10-7 halftime lead after a try-apiece first 40 dominated by the South Africans, and in particular their bright young backline which feasted on opportunity, without being able to apply the finishing touches.

After soaking up a heap of early pressure from the South Africans, including a Jordie Barrett try-saving tackle on Kolbe over the line and a disallowed score to Snyman for an earlier knock-on, the All Blacks struck first, just shy of the first-quarter mark, when they put Carter across for a try on debut wide on the left.

In an exhilarating, side-to-side attacking surge, the New Zealanders went close wide right when Ardie Savea and Simon Parker combined beautifully on the touchline, before some brilliant interpassing found the debutant in space across the other side of the field.

Ironically, in a half where they had 72% territory and nearly doubled the All Blacks in run metres, it took a 25th-minute piece of brilliance against the run of play to get the Boks on the board, courtesy of a 70-metre intercept by Kolbe as Billy Proctor’s loose pass was punished.

The chances continued to come thick and fast for the visitors over the closing quarter of an hour, with Willemse especially threatening on the run, but the New Zealand defence held fast, with a Damian McKenzie penalty edging them out by three at the break.

It was the Boks, though, who opened the second spell with a 10-point burst of scoring to ease out to a 17-10 lead inside the third quarter, with Kolbe crossing for his second score, on the back of a brilliant Kolisi run, and Manie Libbok adding his first penalty.

And then a close tussle turned on its head as South Africa’s brilliant attacking play finally yielded the results as the All Blacks defence tied up badly.

Over the closign quarter it was all the Boks as Willemse, Kwagga Smith,, RG Snyman and Andre Esterhuizen all crossed to complete the rout. A red-letter day for South African rugby. And a sad one for the All Blacks.