It was a somber day in Wellington as the All Blacks suffered their most severe Test defeat in history, crumbling under a relentless Springbok rampage. The final whistle blew at a staggering 43-10, marking a third loss in four head-to-heads under coach Scott Robertson against Rassie Erasmus' formidable squad. As the Boks surged, notching up 36 unanswered points in the latter half, questions arose about the Kiwis' tenacity.
Former All Black Mils Muliaina expressed his shock and disappointment on Sky Sport, noting the team's unexpected submission.
"I still think they were in the game with 15 minutes or so to go. They were still only 14 points behind. What concerns me is they almost gave up. It’s not really the sight you want to see from the All Blacks."
South Africa's second-half performance was nothing short of a blitzkrieg, dismantling any hopes of a New Zealand comeback.Kieran Read, another All Black legend, chimed in, pinpointing the lack of resilience that seemed evident as the game progressed. While acknowledging the Springboks' superiority, Read lamented,
"You have to look at that All Blacks side ... there’s something within that group when you are able to just leak and leak. Where’s that spine we want to see?"
He gave full marks to the South Africans for their masterclass in tactics and physicality.All Blacks captain Scott Barrett was forthright in his concession of the team's shortcomings. "That was a tough one to swallow. The Springboks certainly showed up and made a real improvement to last week and we certainly didn’t adjust," Barrett admitted. The captain highlighted the overwhelming pressure on their scrum and the scarcity of scoring opportunities, in stark contrast to the Boks' clinical execution.
With this defeat, not only did the All Blacks face a historic low, but they also witnessed the Springboks climbing back to the top of the rankings, a position they defended with ferocity and strategic prowess on the field.