At Eden Park, the Springboks once again found themselves staring at rugby’s version of a haunted fortress.
Since 1937 no South African side has stormed its walls, and on Saturday night the All Blacks ensured that ghost remained unbanished, grinding out a 24–17 victory that felt like a dagger wrapped in history.
For Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and stand-in captain Jesse Kriel, the defeat tasted of rainwater and rust, bitter, metallic, and hard to swallow.
Match report: A slow start at Eden Park ended up costly despite a strong finish by the Boks 😔 #Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #NZLvRSA
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 6, 2025
They pointed not to the full 80, but to a wayward 15 minutes when the Boks were tossed about like a scrum shoved onto skates. Two soft tries conceded, and suddenly the scoreboard read 14–3 at halftime.
The men in green and gold were chasing shadows while Auckland’s drizzle turned their pursuit into a slipstream.
Yet, like a maul refusing to collapse, the Boks rallied. Replacements thundered on, injecting fresh legs and defiance. They clawed back a losing bonus point, proof of spirit if not of conquest.
“We were 14 points behind after two easy tries, and we found ourselves chasing our own tails, and that was in the rain as well,” said Erasmus.
“I thought the replacements brought energy, and we fought back well, but it’s tough to win if you are 14 points behind.”
Erasmus admitted the wound came not from a sustained beating but from self-inflicted stabs. He called the “stupid errors,” that turned possession into poison.
Eden Park’s fortress walls remained untouched, New Zealand’s streak since 1994 intact. Erasmus doffed his cap to the victors but refused to indulge in mythmaking: history is irrelevant unless rewritten.
“If we had won, we would probably have mentioned the history, but they managed to maintain their record at Eden Park and well done to them for that,” said Erasmus.
“It was a great challenge for us, but we didn’t achieve it. That said, we have another chance to face them next week, and that will be our focus next week.”
For Kriel, captaining against the All Blacks was trial by fire. He echoed Erasmus: the Boks knew New Zealand would fly out of the blocks, and for a handful of minutes they were caught flat-footed:
“We always knew New Zealand wanted a fast start to the game, but we are still in the Rugby Championship competition,” said Kriel.
“As Rassie said, and we have another chance to face them next week.
“We played badly for a few minutes, and it cost us, which is very disappointing, but we’ll have another go next week, and hopefully things will go better for us.”
But the Championship remains alive, and next week offers another chance to swing the hammer at the granite.
The loss cannot be considered a collapse, but a stumble in 15 minutes where the Bok machine coughed, spluttered, and was punished.
Rugby at this level is merciless: blink once, and the All Blacks carve through you like a knife through ripe kiwi fruit. Erasmus and Kriel know they must tighten the screws, mend the leaks, and come back snarling.
For now, the ghosts of 1937 still prowl Eden Park.
But Wellington awaits, and the Springboks will arrive with teeth bared, determined that history won’t keep them shackled forever.
