South Africa Crushes New Zealand 43-10 to Reclaim World No. 1 Ranking

TDT | Manama

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In a commanding display, South Africa handed New Zealand a record defeat on Saturday, storming to a 43-10 victory and reclaiming the top spot in the world rugby rankings.

The Springboks delivered a powerful response to last week’s 24-17 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland, leaving the hosts humbled and the Rugby Championship wide open with just two rounds remaining.

All four teams in the tournament now share identical 2-2 win-loss records, with Australia, who narrowly lost 28-26 to Argentina in Sydney earlier, holding a one-point bonus lead over both South Africa and New Zealand.

South Africa’s six tries, including a brace from wing Cheslin Kolbe, silenced critics who had questioned whether the 2019 and 2023 world champions were past their peak. From the outset, the Springboks dominated physically, stifling the All Blacks with aggressive defence while asserting control in scrums and lineouts.

The visitors grew even stronger in the second half, outscoring New Zealand 36-0 as the hosts’ defence collapsed during the final quarter.

Captain Siya Kolisi praised his team’s fearless approach. “I give credit to my boys, we didn’t give up. And to the coach as well,” he said. “We played fearlessly. We knew what we needed to do and we believed in ourselves. That was the most important thing out there. We’ve got the right to fight for the Rugby Championship. It’s open now, and that’s what matters to us.”

The 43-10 result surpasses New Zealand’s previous record loss of 35-7 to South Africa at Twickenham in 2023 and raises fresh questions about the progress of the All Blacks under coach Scott Robertson.