How the world’s media reacted to the All Blacks’ 43-10 defeat to South Africa at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
Charlie Morgan, The Telegraph UK
South Africa stormed back from defeat at Eden Park by pulverising the All Blacks in a dominant second half comprising 36 unanswered points.
New Zealand reached the break leading 10-7 but were comprehensively dismantled thereafter, the Springboks marrying set-piece power with attacking accuracy to suggest that any reports of their demise have been exaggerated.
Cheslin Kolbe scored two of his side’s six tries, while the others were shared between Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman and Andre Esterhuizen.
Though the hosts had forged ahead with a slick score for debutant Leroy Carter, Wellington continued to be a bogey venue for them and a chastening loss – the 33-point margin making this their heaviest-ever defeat – leaving New Zealand to limp into the Bledisloe Cup games against Australia.
The Rugby Championship will start the fifth round with all four teams on two wins and two defeats in what has been a vintage year.
Remy Rugiero, Midi Olympique
After a first half where the two nations were evenly matched, the Springboks delivered a complete game of rugby at all levels, winning a stunning 43-10 victory.
Dominating in the conquest phases, efficient in the wings with a double from Kolbe in particular, Rassie Erasmus’s men returned to their former glory in this Rugby Championship by taking a resounding revenge.
It was an exceptional match in terms of its interest, drama, and consequences.
Between the All Blacks, who bounced back last week, fending off a good dose of pressure by winning, and the Springboks, who are currently rather shaken up and who came with a team that was new in more ways than one, the duel promised to be incredible in the race for the Rugby Championship.
Tony Harper, The Roar
The Springboks showed immense character and revealed their incredible depth to smash the All Blacks 43-10 in Wellington, a record-breaking result that left Australia on top of The Rugby Championship standings two-thirds of the way through an exhilarating tournament.
Having lost four players in the first half, then two-try hero Cheslin Kolbe, the Boks showed the full force of their power in a thoroughly deserved victory.
As good as the Boks were, the All Blacks were poor outside of one brilliant team try in the first half. The 33-point margin was the All Blacks’ worst-ever loss.
There will be plenty of gnashing of teeth and questions of Scott Robertson’s men ahead of the Bledisloe Cup, where the Wallabies must give themselves every chance of ending a 23-year drought.
Ian Ransom, Reuters
South Africa shrugged off a litany of injuries to humiliate New Zealand 43-10 in Wellington on Saturday, subjecting the All Blacks to their worst-ever test defeat in a Rugby Championship stunner.
With their backline in tatters and trailing 10-0 early after a try to debutant Leroy Carter, the Springboks scored 36 unanswered points in an extraordinary onslaught a week after falling 24-17 to the hosts at Eden Park.
Cheslin Kolbe lit the spark with a try in each half, while Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman and Andre Esterhuizen also crossed for the Springboks.
The All Blacks’ previous worst defeat was also against the Springboks, a 35-7 setback at Twickenham in the lead-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
It was a win made all the sweeter by the challenges thrown at the visitors, who lost lock Lood de Jager, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and fullback Aphelele Fassi in the first half to injuries.
Shell-shocked All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said his team had no excuses for their dramatic fade-out.
Harry Latham-Coyle, The Independent
South Africa humiliated New Zealand and condemned the All Blacks to their heaviest ever defeat.
After New Zealand held on for victory to extend their unbeaten streak at Eden Park last weekend, the Springboks scored 43 points in a sensational six-try victory to revive their Rugby Championship title hopes in Wellington.
It was South Africa’s biggest ever score on New Zealand soil, while the 33-point margin of defeat was the biggest New Zealand had suffered in their entire history.
South Africa only led by three points at half time but were sensational in the second half, with tries from Cheslin Kolbe, Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman and Andre Esterhuizen.
Liam Napier, NZ Herald
The capital curse strikes again. This time with an embarrassing record loss to the Springboks.
This one will hurt for many years to come.
Scott Robertson’s All Blacks failed to scale two peaks in successive weeks as their patchy form trend reared its ugly head again with another defeat in Wellington – their fifth in their last 10 tests at Sky Stadium. It was the All Blacks’ biggest-ever loss, topping the 35-7 defeat against the South Africans at Twickenham before the World Cup in 2023.
Coming down from the emotive high of defending fortress Eden Park and celebrating Ardie Savea’s 100th test last week, the All Blacks’ search for consistency remains well beyond reach after the Springboks bounced back in emphatic fashion to secure a treasured win on New Zealand soil.
After a 1-1 tour to Argentina, the All Blacks have now repeated those results at home against the Springboks to leave major frustrations and serious questions about any form of genuine progress under Robertson.
The nature of this deflating defeat, the largest against the Springboks at home, eclipsing the 30-16 defeat in 1978, sparks serious concerns and could leave deep scars.