South Africa delivered a historic performance in the Rugby Championship, thrashing New Zealand 43-10 in Wellington to inflict the All Blacks’ heaviest defeat in history.
Idman.biz, citing BBC, reports that the Springboks, who are reigning world champions, produced a breathtaking display built on power, precision, and relentless intensity, running in six tries and scoring 36 unanswered points in the second half.
The result eclipsed New Zealand’s previous record defeat — a 35-7 loss to the same opponents at Twickenham in 2023 — and firmly reasserted South Africa’s dominance after their loss to the All Blacks just a week earlier.
New Zealand struck first through debutant Leroy Carter after a well-constructed move, and a Damian McKenzie penalty briefly restored their lead. But Cheslin Kolbe’s interception try turned the tide, and from then on, the Springboks controlled the contest. Kolbe added a second try shortly after the interval, while Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, and Andre Esterhuizen all crossed the line to pile on the misery for the stunned home side.
Captain Siya Kolisi praised his team’s fearless approach: “We didn’t want to hold back. We knew what we needed to do and we believed in ourselves — that was the most important thing out there.”
New Zealand skipper Scott Barrett admitted his side failed to adapt: “That’s a tough one to swallow. The Springboks certainly showed up and improved from last week, and we just didn’t adjust. There’s a lot of areas we need to get better at.”
With all four Rugby Championship teams — South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina — holding two wins and two defeats after four rounds, the tournament is wide open heading into the final stages. Kolisi made it clear the Springboks intend to seize the opportunity: “We’ve got the right to fight for the Rugby Championship. It’s open now and that’s what matters to us.”
The next fixtures see South Africa face Argentina while New Zealand take on Australia in what promises to be a thrilling climax to an already dramatic campaign.
Idman.biz
