When the Springboks and All Blacks clashed in Wellington, it wasn’t just a game; it was aerial warfare, and Schalk Burger wasn't shy about declaring the victors. The Boks, bouncing back from a previous stumble in Auckland, didn’t just beat the All Blacks; they owned the skies and subsequently the game with a resounding 43-10 triumph that left fans and pundits alike in awe. The match, which saw the Springboks trailing at halftime, turned into an exhibition of dominance as Siya Kolisi led his team to score 36 unanswered points in the second half.
Speaking on The Verdict podcast, Burger detailed the tactical supremacy, "We laid the foundation in the first 40. The ball was in the air, behind the All Blacks forcing them to constantly retreat. Every collision, every set piece went our way, but it was the aerial game that really bullied them." The change in momentum was palpable as the All Blacks, overwhelmed by the relentless South African pressure, capitulated post-halftime.
"They were hanging by a thread by the end of that first half. In the second half, they capitulated and it was when we got scoreboard pressure," Burger reflected.
The scrum also turned into a critical battleground right after the break, a point Burger emphasized with relish, "The biggest moment for me was that scrum right after half-time. Wilco Louw comes on, wins a penalty, and we score off the back of that. That’s when you saw the scoreboard pressure really getting to them."
Former Springbok Hanyani Shimange commented on the psychological edge the Boks had, "You’ve got to say, when Rassie named the team early in the week, he set the tone. It’s a young backline, but they delivered beyond expectations." Shimange also highlighted the star performance, "Damian Willemse was on another planet this weekend. Absolutely in the zone."
"We all said that if they get it right, we can beat the All Blacks. I thought it would be by 10, I didn’t see 43 coming," Burger admitted, still somewhat in disbelief over the margin.
The match not only reasserted the Springboks' prowess but also sent a clear message across the rugby world about the effectiveness of controlling the aerial game and the impact of strategic substitutions and early team announcements. As the dust settles, this match will surely be remembered as a tactical masterclass, with Rassie Erasmus and his team crafting a victory for the ages against a formidable opponent.