The Springboks have retained the Freedom Cup with a come-from-behind 43-10 victory in Wellington tonight which should raise huge questions about the All Blacks’ set piece ability, not to mention their mental strength.
This was a shocking and humiliating record defeat for Scott Robertson’s men, who were leading 10-7 at halftime via an attack which appeared to be finding some genuine cohesion.
With Leroy Carter celebrating his Test debut with a well-taken try, it appeared the home fans among the sellout crowd at Sky Stadium were set for a decent night’s entertainment.
What transpired in the second half – five tries from the Boks – was the stuff of nightmares.
The All Blacks’ scrum was second best throughout, despite the home side promising it would be better after last weekend’s win at Eden Park, and their lineout suffered a shocking meltdown in the final quarter after Brodie McAlister replaced Samisoni Taukei’aho at hooker.
The sight of All Blacks supporters heading for the exits with 10 minutes remaining and the score 29-10 should send alarm bells through not only this coaching team but also New Zealand Rugby.
That exodus accelerated sharply once RG Snyman scored a converted try with six minutes remaining.
Incredibly, Andre Esterhuizen scored another for the visitors with a minute remaining.
The sight of Will Jordan, who has scored 43 tries in 47 Tests, losing the ball when he was set to score what would have been a consolation try summed up this performance from Robertson’s men.
They were rattled and had no answers. The second defeat of the year after the loss to the Pumas in Buenos Aires, it will rate as one of the worst in Robertson’s tenure. More to the point, it will rate as probably the worst All Black defeat on home soil.
The All Blacks' previous worst defeat was their 35-7 loss to the Boks at Twickenham in 2023.
Despite the Boks suffering a terrible injury toll in the first half and facing a deficit as they started the third quarter, the visitors, who were clearly given a message or two at halftime, began with a far sharper physical edge than the All Blacks.
They controlled the air and the breakdown and, once again the scrum. It was that set piece which opened the door for Cheslin Kolbe’s second try after a stunning breakout by skipper Siya Kolisi.
The All Blacks had a chance to strike back via a lineout deep in Boks territory, but they were penalised for obstruction. It got even worse from there – the All Blacks failing to secure one on their own line which led to a try for Damian Willemse, and they lost at least two more.
The first half promised a very different result, not to mention performance.
A frantic start had Damian McKenzie dropping the kick-off and featured a disallowed try (after it was converted), a try-saving tackle by Jordie Barrett on Kolbe and a perfectly executed try for Carter.
Kolbe, not to be denied, intercepted a Billy Proctor pass to Simon Parker to run in from 60m and all the while various injured Springboks left the field.
The Boks lost lock Lood de Jager, first-five Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, halfback Cobus Reinach and fullback Aphelele Fassi in the opening 40 minutes, with halfback Noah Hotham leaving the field himself after 10 minutes.
Boks coach Rassie Erasmus, who made seven changes to his side after the defeat at Eden Park, was clearly looking for an attacking spark and his men were keen to follow the plan.
It was contagious, as the All Blacks were clearly targeting the outside channels where Carter, McKenzie and Jordan roamed with intent and it all added up to a far better spectacle than last weekend.
Carter was a bit of a revelation in the No.11 jersey – he was busy and brought an irresistible energy to a backline that appeared to be enjoying themselves.
Proctor was having one of his better nights on attack (before he threw that intercept with Parker and Carter poised on the left), with Beauden Barrett, brother Jordie and Will Jordan far better under the high ball and with a better appreciation of space than their opposites.
Carter’s try was a thing of beauty – not necessarily for the finish, which was clinical, but for the build-up which featured a near perfect appreciation of time and space by the All Blacks and featured a neat little double act by loose forwards Ardie Savea and Simon Parker on the right sideline before the ball was swept to the left.
How it went so sideways for them is scarcely believable because the Boks were far less polished. Their opening “try” was ruled out by the television match official due to a knock-on by halfback Reinach, and their midfield and outside backs were guilty of over-running passes.
How they turned it all around will be the subject of some serious reviews in the All Blacks’ camp in the next few days.
The result relieved the All Blacks of their No.1 ranking - they have fallen all the way to third behind the Boks and Ireland - but that will be the least of their worries.
South Africa 43 (Cheslin Kolbe 2, Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Andre Esterhuizen tries; Manie Libbok 5 cons, pen)
All Blacks 10 (Leroy Carter try; Damian McKenzie con, pen)
Halftime: All Blacks 10-7
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