All Blacks coach Scott Robertson says South Africa’s loss to Australia won’t alter his side’s preparation for their upcoming Rugby Championship Tests.
The world champions suffered a stunning 38-22 defeat to the Wallabies at Ellis Park, conceding six unanswered tries after racing to a 22-0 lead. The loss was South Africa’s first to Australia in Johannesburg in over 60 years and has raised fresh questions about their evolving game plan.
The Springboks have shown signs of shifting away from their traditionally physical, kick-heavy approach in favour of a more expansive, ball-in-hand strategy. But Robertson isn’t convinced the experiment will last.
“No, we know how they’re going to play. They’ll play to their strengths,” Robertson said.
“It’s their DNA. It’s about how you stop them, but also how you play your own game.”
While Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies have earned praise for the comeback win, Robertson downplayed its wider implications. He said his primary focus remains on the All Blacks’ second Test against Argentina this weekend in Buenos Aires.
“It was a game of small moments – a bounce of the ball, a pass. South Africa played beautifully for a long period, and then it turned, didn’t it?” he said.
“It just shows how quickly things can change with discipline, accuracy, and low error rates.”
New Zealand opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a 41-24 win over Los Pumas in Cordoba, but the performance left room for improvement – particularly in the backline, where cohesion was lacking at times.
Rieko Ioane’s shift to the wing and Billy Proctor’s promotion to outside centre drew scrutiny, but Robertson backed both players to grow into their roles.
“Rieko is getting better each week,” he said. “And Billy – he’s a long-term project. We’re sticking with him.”
The All Blacks will host the Springboks in two Tests next month, with both sides eyeing top honours in what’s shaping as one of the most open Rugby Championship editions in recent memory.
