Springboks crush All Blacks in record Rugby Championship rout

South Africa delivered a stunning 43-10 thrashing to New Zealand in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, inflicting the All Blacks’ heaviest defeat in history at Wellington Regional Stadium. The world champion Springboks, rebounding from a loss to New Zealand the previous week, scored six tries and piled on 36 unanswered points in the second half to secure a commanding victory. Cheslin Kolbe starred with two tries, while Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, and Andre Esterhuizen also crossed the line for South Africa. Manie Libbok added five conversions and a penalty, with New Zealand’s lone try coming from debutant Leroy Carter, converted by Damian McKenzie alongside his earlier penalty.

The match began competitively, with New Zealand leading 10-7 at halftime after McKenzie’s penalty and Carter’s try, but South Africa exploded after the break, leveling the score through Kolbe’s intercept try before pulling away decisively. Notable moments included a brilliant tackle by Jordie Barrett on Kolbe and a disallowed try for Snyman, but the Springboks’ relentless pressure overwhelmed the hosts. New Zealand captain Scott Barrett admitted his side’s failure to adapt, saying, “The Springboks certainly showed up and took a real improvement from last week, and we just didn’t adjust.

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi hailed his team’s fearless mindset, crediting coach Rassie Erasmus for fostering belief in the squad.In the other Rugby Championship fixture, Argentina edged Australia 28-26 in a thrilling encounter in Sydney, avenging their narrow defeat to the Wallabies a week earlier. Fly-half Santiago Carreras was the hero for the Pumas, contributing 23 points through seven penalties and a conversion, with captain Julian Montoya scoring their only try in his 50th match as skipper and 112th Test overall. Australia mounted a late comeback with tries from Joseph Suaalii, Andrew Kellaway, and a double from Filipo Daugunu, but fell short despite leading 28-7 at one stage being reversed by the visitors’ kicking game.

The results leave the Rugby Championship wide open, with all four teams—South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina—tied on two wins and two losses after four rounds. South Africa’s dominance has reignited their title hopes, surpassing New Zealand’s previous worst loss of 35-7 to the Springboks at Twickenham in 2023. Montoya reflected on Argentina’s grit, stating, “I’m just grateful to play with this jersey… Australia is a great team and I’m really proud with the way that we fought. Still a lot of things to improve, but we need to enjoy winning as well.” Kolisi echoed the sentiment, declaring, “We’ve got the right to fight for the Rugby Championship. It’s open now and that’s what matters to us.”

As the tournament progresses, South Africa will next face Argentina, while New Zealand host Australia in key clashes that could define the standings. The Springboks’ second-half mastery and Argentina’s resilience highlight the competition’s intensity, with both victors emphasizing areas for growth amid the celebrations. New Zealand, meanwhile, faces a period of introspection after the humbling defeat, as the southern hemisphere’s premier annual showdown continues to deliver high-stakes drama.