Brilliant Springboks smash All Blacks in a historic 43-10 humiliationI. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor).
Shellshocked could be a mild way of describing the All Blacks reflection on a merciless thrashing they were handed out by a rampant Springboks who rewrote rugby history in Wellington.
Never in anyone’s wildest imagination did they anticipate ferocity and controlled aggression unleashed by the Springboks in a comeback from a 3-point deficit at the half to obliterate a once feared home team that was left numb, embarrassed and helpless.
From 10-7 defecit at the short break, the Springboks exploded in a frenzied onslaught that clearly rattled the usually cool and controlled All Blacks, committing them to a morass of mistakes totally unlike the current number one ranked team in world rugby and questioning their credibility.
Debutante winger Leroy Carter opened the scoring for the All Blacks with a burst down the flank in the 18th minute for the All Blacks first try to give them the lead before Cheslin Kolbe intercepted and pass between the All Blacks backs to sprint down the field to score untouched.
Damien McKenzie fired over a penalty soon after to give the All Blacks their only lead before the second half explosion by the rampant Springboks.
A 36-0 second half humilation consigned the All Blacks to the most embarrassing day in New Zealand rugby as the Springboks smashed them 43-10 which is the biggest margin of defeat at home ever.
In a game of stark contrasts, the Springboks turned a evenly contested first half to a completely dominant second session, reducing the All Blacks to a constantly retreating unit that struggled to contain the waves of attack from a resurgent and physically and dominant marauder.
Never in memory have the All Blacks looked so helpless and without a plan to counter-attack, as the Springboks dominated every aspect of play to have the home team back pedalling and in desperate defence mode.
The ferocious intensity unleashed by the Springboks in both defence and attack reduced the once feared All Blacks into a sorry sight after the win at Eden Park and a promising first half in this game.
It was a game of rugby that clearly exposed the All Blacks vulnerability, mainly under the high ball, which the Springboks discovered and tested them continuously.
Possession from the scrums and line-outs were another area that the Springboks gained ascendency from as they outmuscled the All Blacks with superior strength and clever work.
The battle among the backs is of concern to the All Blacks whose silky skills and execution was sloppy and unquestionably having an off day. The Springboks backs were on song in contrast, especially winger Cheslin Kolby who cut a swathe in their early raids with two great tries.
Whatever Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus fired up his team at the break, appeared to have sparked a robust, confrontational team that played like men possessed, and the All Blacks were forced into submission.
Rassie Erasmus was estatic after his biggest moment in charge of the Springboks and he thanked his courageous team and a huge turnout of Springboks fans for spurring the team to their historic triumph over their arch rival.
The five try rampage saw Cheslin Kolbe, Damian Willemse, Jwagga Smith, R. G Snyman and Andre Esterhuizen run in tries against a strangely inept All Blacks defence that will for long will try to figure out what really happened.
The biggest loss at home by the All Blacks before this game was 15 points to the Wallabies in 1964. So this was a shallacking. And it will never be allowed to be forgotten, not by Boks fans anyway.
What is more concerning for the All Blacks is that their insipid performance in this game opens up the prospect of the Bledisloe Cup encounters coming up now gives the Wallabies hope of ending a long drought against their foes across the ditch.
The Wallabies are on the rise although they went down against the Pumas in game two 22-26 which levelled their series.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson will ponder what went wrong and how he can reverse the All Blacks most embarrassing day in its proud history.
He conceded after the game that they were brought undone by a team superior on the day and on song.
The Springboks win now throws the competition wide open.
