The Springboks caused a seismic shock of note, rocking the rugby world with a near perfect second half performance to beat their greatest rivals, the All Blacks 43-10 in a startling one-sided match in Wellington on Saturday.
Make no mistake, this is a result that will have rocked world rugby. The 36 unanswered second half points makes this the biggest ever defeat for the All Blacks on home soil. It is also the biggest win for the Springboks ever against the All Blacks.
Philip Nel’s 1937 Boks are still the only ones to have won a series in New Zealand, and were called the best team to ever have left New Zealand shores. That tag may be under threat after this second half performance.
A second half masterclass from the Boks as they retain the Freedom Cup with a record breaking victory in Wellington 🇿🇦#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/n2Gyr6FY0N
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 13, 2025
BACK TO WORLD NO 1
The win will see the Springboks return to the No 1 spot in the World Rugby rankings after losing it after their shock loss to the Wallabies at Ellis Park a month ago.
What made it even more remarkable was the way it was achieved. Under pressure after losing at Eden Park last weekend and because Rassie Erasmus had made wholesale changes to the squad for this game, the youngsters selected were always going to fire - whether they would hit or miss would be the bigger question.
But in a first half which saw the Boks lose four players either to concussion or injury, where they had emptied their bench long before the hour mark and where they had to play with a totally reconstructed backline, the result was absolute magic.
It was a night to savour. One of those rugby moments that come around very seldom. A game to tell your grandkids about one day. This second half was absolute carnage, and an incredible confirmation that Tony Brown’s attacking style is very much the way to go.
This win will not only resurrect the Boks hopes of retaining their Castle Lager Rugby Championship crown, but it will send shockwaves out to the rest of the world who want to win the Webb Ellis trophy in 2027.
Pick your team to win the #TRC2025 👀🏆#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/mlbmKKwoxh
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 13, 2025
SCARY WARNING TO THE REST OF THE RUGBY WORLD
If this Springbok team can do that to an All Black team in one half in New Zealand, then with two more years to go, what can they do in a World Cup?
That's why this isn’t just an exceptional victory under the circumstances, it was an affirmation of the belief that there is so much talent in the current group and that if they are managed right they can add a third World Cup title to their trophy cabinet. It may feel a bit early to say that, but after those 40 minutes, you would find few doubters who would argue against it.
There were so many heroes that night. From Cheslin Kolbe’s two tries to keep the scoreboard ticking to the incredible leadership and form of Siya Kolisi. Devoid of too many older heads this week the duo stepped up and led from the front.
𝐀 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐧 🇿🇦💥
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 13, 2025
Siya Kolisi knows how to boss #TheRugbyChampionship ✅#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/C5j7j7AOvy
FIRST-HALF CASUALTY LIST
The loss of Lood de Jager, Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Aphelele Fassi in the first half and then Kolbe early in the second would have set any team on its heels. Instead these Boks simply dug in and fought harder. It was not bravery or passion, it was both.
But it was also a desperation to win, a belief they could and the solid foundation they found that these All Blacks, even in New Zealand, are not invincible.
Libbok replaced Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse moved to fullback for Fassi. Both stepped up exceptionally well, played immense parts in the win and could easily have been given the man of the match award.
There were others - Ethan Hooker was a colossus in the air, and made a telling break that led to a try. Grant Williams - first at nine and later on the wing - was nippy and dangerous and pulled off an incredible try-saving tackle to stop Will Jordan four minutes before the end. This Bok juggernaut wasn’t going to give anything away.
SCRUM CHANGED THE PICTURE
The scrum was immense - especially after the arrival of Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Wilco Louw - the latter who surely must be a favourite to start at tighthead.
The lineouts - so wonky in the Rugby Championship - were exceptional and Ruan Nortje has got to be one of the biggest improvers since being selected last season. His workrate and lineout jumping was one of the standouts after Lood de Jager went off early in the game.
It’s hard to quantify what this will mean for Scott Robertson’s future - especially as he has been under pressure at home since the loss to the Pumas a month ago. New Zealand rugby fans don’t take defeat easily and a big defeat like this is unheard of.
But that will mean little to Erasmus and co, as the celebrations of the massive victory will be heard around the world.
BOKS ANSWERED LOUDLY
Where there was so much doubt and uncertainty going into the game, the Boks answered so loudly that nobody will ever doubt the youngsters again.
The surprise at when and how the dam wall broke in that second half is unheard of in New Zealand and especially given the All Blacks looked like they were controlling the contest at halftime.
Until then they had soaked up the Bok pressure, especially the aerial battle, and been ahead on the scoreboard as the Boks made way too many mistakes again in the red zone. Their one chance on attack - ironically when the Boks had one less defender when Feinberg-Mngomezulu was laid out on the ground concussed - led to their only try of the match.
For most of the first half it seemed the Boks were doing all the play and getting little reward. Their only happiness came from Kolbe’s audacious intercept against the run of play in the 25th minute, and after they had already lost three players.
Kolbe bought his lottery ticket and won just outside his 22m area, and ran 70 metres untouched to score. The Boks may have won in the second half, but that score, as the All Blacks were threatening to double their lead, was worth his weight in gold.
Nobody is catching Cheslin ⚡
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 13, 2025
📺 Stream #TRC2025 on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw#SSRugby | @picknpayasap pic.twitter.com/v2Y7daeiKU
UNHAPPY FIRST HALF FOR BOKS
Damian McKenzie punished the Boks for not rolling away and took his side into a three point lead at the break, but the visitors would have been unimpressed with their own performance given their territorial and possession dominance.
Then something shifted as they got onto the field in the second half. The change in the front row brought immediate reward and a devastating penalty. A quick tap by Reinach - returned after passing his HIA - found few defenders as the scrum had gobbled them up.
He made 20 metres before popping the ball to Kolisi, who barged his way through a bunch of All Black bodies. Andre Esterhuizen found himself playing scrumhalf and then sent a booming pass to Kolbe on the wing, for the magician to step his way across for his second try.
KOLBE’S SECOND TRY SHOOK ALL BLACKS
The power, pace and finesse that the try embodied was only a signal of more to come, but it clearly shook the All Blacks. And how much we would only learn a little later.
Manie Libbok’s sideline conversion - he kicked six out of seven on the night - was the sugar on top. The Boks were in front, and never looked back.
Kolbe had to leave the field shortly afterwards, the victim of a no-arms tackle from Tupou Vaa’i but Williams' move to the wing didn’t weaken the side at all.
A crucial lineout obstruction stopped the All Blacks comeback and five minutes later Nortje jumped higher than expected to steal a crucial lineout ball five metres from the All Black line. The Boks battered the line twice before Libbok gave Willemse a tough high pass, but his Stormers’ teammate turned it into cash by surging across the line.
The passion from Damian Willemse 😤🇿🇦
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 13, 2025
📺 Stream #TRC2025 on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/3uyzmnJfb2
ALL BLACKS SUDDENLY VULNERABLE
Suddenly the All Blacks looked extremely vulnerable. A Beauden Barrett kick downfield, meant to pressure the Boks, found Hooker running it back 50 metres, with the All Blacks disappearing from his path. Libbok’s cross kick - an almost carbon copy of Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try against Scotland in the World Cup - found Pieter-Steph du Toit, who was tackled, but popped the ball to Kwagga Smith to score.
Kwagga Smith gets on the scoresheet 🤩
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 13, 2025
📺 Stream #TRC2025 on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/V13Xxa7MOL
Next it was Canan Moodie who took an incredible ball in the air, and the recycled attack found a bounding RG Snyman who ran through untouched to score. From 17-10 in the 60th minute to 36-10 in the 72nd the rugby world had changed in an instant.
Esterhuizen powered his way to a late try to complete the carnage and send the All Black fans into mourning, with the 36 unanswered points at least allowing them to wear team colours to match their mood.
Andre the Giant wraps it up in style 👏👏#SSRugby | #TheRugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/o1t4afj0Lg
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 13, 2025
The victory was nothing short of remarkable but the reality is there is still a Rugby Championship to be one. And a long injury list to try and fix.
But for one night at least - a night that will be remembered for a long time to come - and in one spectacular 40 minute spell - the Springbok world became perfect.
And that nobody will ever forget.
The Freedom Cup is coming back to South Africa 🏆#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/3fM63fF8FH
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 13, 2025
Scorers
New Zealand - try: Leroy Carter. Conversion: Damian McKenzie. Penalty: McKenzei
South Africa - tries: Cheslin Kolbe (2), Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Andre Esterhuizen. Conversions: Libbok (5). Penalty: Libbok