New Zealand rugby greats say the All Blacks’ record defeat to the Springboks has left the country questioning its identity and direction.
The All Blacks were humiliated 43-10 in Wellington on Saturday, conceding 36 unanswered points in the second half.
Speaking on The Breakdown, former stars Justin Marshall, Mils Muliaina, Aaron Cruden and Jeff Wilson said the performance highlighted deeper issues.
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Wilson pointed to the historical significance.
“The All Blacks conceded 36 unanswered points at home. That’s as emphatic as it gets,” the 60-Test veteran stated.
“What stings is that teams now believe they can beat the All Blacks. Argentina have done it, Ireland have done it, South Africa have humiliated us at home. That aura has been chipped away.”
He added: “Responsibility to the jersey and our history is huge. Record-breaking losses can’t just be dismissed – they change things forever.”
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Marshall admitted his reaction swung between “frustration, but also admiration for what the Springboks produced”.
He said: “I felt the Springboks ambushed the All Blacks. I didn’t think they’d have the ambition to play that much rugby. Once we were chasing the game in the second half, we couldn’t find answers.”
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Muliaina was blunt about the lack of composure.
“The disappointing part is the All Blacks still had chances with 15 minutes to go. But the Boks just took it to another level, and we had no answers. It seemed like the All Blacks were trying to win 14 points back in one go instead of building momentum.”
Cruden stressed the quality of the opposition but said the All Blacks lacked alignment.
“You’ve got to give credit where it’s due – the Boks were outstanding. From the very first kick-off they showed power, accuracy and precision. But once momentum turned, we had no answers.”
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Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
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