(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Rugby Championship Shock: South Africa Thrashes New Zealand 43-10
New Zealand vs South Africa – Rugby Championship 2025
In a stunning display, the South Africa Springboks humiliated the All Blacks, handing New Zealand their heaviest-ever defeat with a 43-10 victory at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
The Springboks, bouncing back from a narrow loss at Eden Park last week, produced 36 unanswered second-half points, demonstrating their world champion credentials despite significant injuries to key players.
A Record-Breaking Result
The 33-point margin surpassed New Zealand’s previous worst defeat, leaving All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson under renewed scrutiny. The defeat comes ahead of New Zealand’s crucial matches against Australia in the tournament, placing additional pressure on the defending champions.
Rassie Erasmus’ side faced early setbacks, losing lock Lood de Jager, fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and full-back Aphelele Fassi in the first half. Despite this, the Springboks’ response was outstanding, with Siya Kolisi leading from the front, and Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok, and Cheslin Kolbe delivering exceptional performances.
Springboks’ Strong Performance
Inside center Willemse, who shifted to full-back after Fassi’s injury, said:
“It was just a very good week from us. Credit to the boys, they stepped up and played a fantastic game of rugby.”
South Africa now sits second in the Rugby Championship table, one point behind Australia and level with New Zealand, while Argentina trails closely after their win over the Wallabies in Sydney.
What’s Next
With a weekend break, the championship will resume with Bledisloe Cup clashes and South Africa’s second match against Argentina at Twickenham on 3 October, which will likely decide the tournament’s winner.
Scott Robertson reflected on the loss, stating:
“We’ve got to be really, extremely honest with each other. We thought we had a really good week, but obviously it wasn’t deep enough preparation.”
The All Blacks’ shocking defeat signals a dramatic shift in the Rugby Championship, leaving fans and analysts eagerly anticipating the next high-stakes matches.
