John Kirwan says the All Blacks’ record defeat to the Springboks was the reality check Scott Robertson’s team required.
New Zealand slumped to the heaviest defeat in their history when they were thrashed 43-10 by the Springboks in Wellington on Saturday and dropped to No 3 in the World Rugby rankings.
Kirwan, speaking on the Rivals podcast, said the result had exposed deep issues in the team, and that confronting them could be the catalyst for a turnaround.
“This is a hell of a crisis, but I think it’s a crisis we need,” said the former All Blacks wing. “You don’t lose how good you are in a week. Out of adversity comes a good rugby team – and it doesn’t get any worse than that: losing at home, to a South African side you’ve struggled to dominate for the last four or five years.”
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Kirwan said the All Blacks’ collapse wasn’t about a lack of talent, but rather about leadership and clarity under pressure.
“Are the leaders stepping up during the game? Have they been in this moment enough to go, ‘We’re down 10 points, how do we win the game back?’
“Are the coaches giving players the clarity to play their game, or are they possibly doing too much so the leaders on the field aren’t living those moments?”
He added that the team needed to rediscover their attacking identity when under pressure.
“In the first half we were outstanding at times – we got around the Bok defence and created pressure – but we didn’t turn it into points. What South Africa did is create pressure and then convert it.
“We need to get back to our style when we’re under pressure, instead of dropping high balls and giving the Boks a foothold.”
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Kirwan highlighted the Springboks’ aerial bombardment and set-piece dominance as key weapons.
“If you can’t catch the first four high balls, you’re playing into South Africa’s DNA. If you don’t tackle them behind the gain line, they roll on. That’s what happened: they imposed their game on us, and we capitulated.”
He said the team’s leaders needed the confidence to make on-field adjustments.
“They kept kicking off to the left where Ethan Hooker was winning everything. Will Jordan’s our best under the high ball, and he was stuck on the other wing. Mature leaders must have the confidence to change things – even if it’s not part of the plan.”
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Kirwan believes Robertson must resist making wholesale changes for their next match against the Wallabies at Eden Park on 27 September, but expects him to demand rapid improvements.
“This isn’t about panicking. It’s about everyone – leaders, coaches, players – looking in the mirror and saying, ‘We need to improve by 5%.’ If we do that, we’ll get the reaction.”
And he warned that anything less than a strong response against Australia will trigger major scrutiny.
“Robertson has to beat the Wallabies twice. If he loses one, after losing to Argentina and then this record loss to South Africa, they’ll see it as a very mediocre run. That’s not good enough for them in New Zealand.”
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Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
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