Ruthless, relentless, and roaring like a pack of well-fed lions, the Springboks tore Wales to ribbons in Cardiff, finishing their season with the emphatic authority of a team sharpening its claws for a World Cup year.
The astonishing 73–0 demolition, the biggest under Rassie Erasmus against the Welsh, sealed a clean-sweep Outgoing Tour.
This closed out a campaign boasting 13 wins in 15 Tests. This is a 86.7% strike rate that would make a bookmaker blush.
Erasmus, usually a man who keeps praise locked up like a treasured kicking tee, didn’t hesitate this time.
Highlights: Relive the action from Cardiff, where the #Springboks scored 11 tries to finish the 2025 season in style against Wales – watch here: https://t.co/dvcMwE4INT 🎥#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/PTDLEdOrXn
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 29, 2025
“I’m very proud of the way we played,” the Springbok coach said.
“We never underestimated Wales… Their hunger showed today, and it was important for us to fight until the end.”
He pointed to the final turnover of the match, won by young prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, as the emblem of a team refusing to drop intensity even with the scoreboard bulging like a loosehead’s neck.
“We are so glad guys like him, Zac (Porthen), and many others… Their hunger showed today,” Erasmus added.
‘Controlled, clinical, uncompromising’
If some past Bok performances were slow-cooking stews, this was a pressure cooker—fast, hot and perfectly controlled.
“We delivered a controlled performance today and we don’t have guys who just roll over,” Erasmus said.
“Tonight I thought it was one of the more clinical performances. We put our soul into the game… because the Welsh are a very controlled team. That said, we know it can change in one game.”
That blend of oomph and discipline has been a steady build, Erasmus insisted, the product of a squad becoming more ruthless by the month.
Kolisi: ‘Our purpose is always for our people back home’
Captain Siya Kolisi, the man who carries the nation’s weight like a No.8 carries a scrum, spread the praise wider than any loop pass.
“I have so many guys around me… so when I go onto the field, I don’t have much to worry about,” he said.
“The way coach Rassie created the structure within the team, we have so many guys who are leaders in their own right.”
Kolisi said his main focus is the emotional heartbeat of the squad.
“The stuff off the field and feeling the team’s energy is what I really focus on… We draw energy from one another.”
Then came the line that echoed far beyond Cardiff:
“It’s a privilege to play as hard as we can so that there is something to smile about, to give the people going through hopeless situations at home hope. Our purpose is always for our people back home.”
World No.1 – but rankings aren’t the point
With the Springboks confirmed as the world’s top-ranked team heading into next week’s Rugby World Cup draw, Erasmus downplayed the significance but welcomed the milestone.
“We never look at the world rankings, but this year finishing at the top… was important for us,” he admitted.
“We’re not sure if it will be beneficial when the draw is made… but we’ll still try to get more caps into the players.”
Etzebeth’s red card: ‘Justified’
Big ban incoming for Eben Etzebeth for eye gouging.
Cant be doing that. pic.twitter.com/sudD3QzSrm
— Tight Five Rugby (@TightFive_Rugby) November 29, 2025
The only blot on the day was Eben Etzebeth’s late red card.
“It didn’t look good, and I thought it was a justified red card,” Erasmus said candidly.
“I’m not sure if it was provoked, but that’s not the way we want to play.”
A word for wounded Wales
Erasmus, never one to ignore rugby’s bigger picture, offered empathy for a Welsh side in transition.
“Things can change quickly… When you lose 15 guys at one time, it’s hard, but eventually somewhere it will come right.”
With coaches and players now heading home to their unions and clubs, the Boks leave Cardiff with a scoreboard that will echo for years—and a season that confirms they remain the heavyweight kings of world rugby.
