Springboks Rout All Blacks 43-10 in Record Wellington Victory
Casal dels Infants – The Springboks quickly regained control after Leroy Carter scored a try on his All Blacks debut, giving the home side an early 7-0 lead. The opening try came following a sweeping right-side attack involving seven passes, showcasing Carter’s poise and finishing ability. However, the All Blacks struggled to break the Springboks’ defensive line thereafter, going try-less for the next 62 minutes in a shockingly one-sided second half.
Despite leading 10-7 at halftime, New Zealand’s attack faltered, leaving them outscored 36-0 after the break. Errors and misjudgments plagued the team, including a disastrous lineout when replacement hooker Brodie McAlister threw straight to the Springboks just five metres from their own try line.
Cheslin Kolbe stole the spotlight, scoring two brilliant tries with pace and agility. His first came after a 60m interception of a Billy Proctor pass, cancelling out Carter’s opener. Kolbe’s second try, a step inside to beat his opposite winger, sparked the Springboks’ second-half onslaught, demonstrating why he is considered one of the best wingers in the world.
No.12 Damian Willemse then extended South Africa’s lead after capitalizing on the All Blacks’ lineout mistake, putting them 14 points ahead. Kwagga Smith added a bonus-point try in the 69th minute, finishing off a cross-field kick from Manie Libbok. The Springboks then scored two more tries to record their largest-ever win over New Zealand.
The All Blacks suffered an early blow when returning halfback Noah Hotham was forced off after just 10 minutes. A knee to the head from Lood de Jager caused the injury, which also affected the Springboks lock. Attempts at a late consolation were thwarted when right winger Will Jordan lost control of the ball just before grounding it in the final minutes.
The turning point came at the first scrum of the second half, mirroring the Springboks’ dominance at Eden Park the previous week. From there, New Zealand’s defensive structure collapsed, allowing South Africa to run rampant. The All Blacks were repeatedly outmuscled in the scrum and struggled to create attacking opportunities against the disciplined defending champions.
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett acknowledged the gap in performance: “That’s a tough one to swallow. The Springboks certainly showed up and took a real improvement from last week, and we didn’t adjust. Our scrum was under pressure, and the Boks really took their chances.”
The 43-10 defeat surpasses New Zealand’s previous heaviest loss to the Springboks. Their previous record was a 35-7 defeat at Twickenham before the 2023 Rugby World Cup. This result allows the Springboks to retain the Freedom Cup for the second consecutive year. It also lets them avenge their recent Eden Park loss.
The All Blacks have a weekend off before returning to Auckland to face the Wallabies in the first Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park on September 27. New Zealand has an unbeaten streak of 51 Tests at Eden Park. The Wallabies have not beaten them in New Zealand since 2001, setting the stage for a crucial showdown.
This information is sourced from nine.com. The Springboks quickly regained control after Leroy Carter scored a try on his All Blacks debut, giving the home side an early 7-0 lead. Read the full article on CasaldelsInfants.
| Author: Lukman Azhari
| Editor: Anna Hidayat
