The All Blacks may be ranked second in the World Rugby rankings, but they endured a challenging 2025, losing three times under the tutelage of head coach Scott Robertson.<\/p>\n
One of those defeats was a record loss to their rivals, the Springboks, in Wellington, while they also fell to a first-ever defeat to Los Pumas in Argentina.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Rugby is currently doing a review of the performances of the team and the coaching staff, with the results being revealed at the end of January.<\/p>\n
The number of records and first-time defeats in recent years has led many pundits and former players to state that the All Blacks<\/a> have \u2018lost their aura\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n However, Springboks<\/a> legend Percy Montgomery warns that Rassie Erasmus and his charges mustn\u2019t underestimate New Zealand when Robertson\u2019s side tours South Africa later this year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s why we play the game.\u201d<\/p>\n The two sides will collide in three Tests in South Africa, with a fourth set to take place at an international<\/a> venue, with the All Blacks also playing the four United Rugby Championship franchises.<\/p>\n The 2007 Rugby World Cup winner has a long history with the All Blacks after playing against the side 19 times during his illustrious career, and predicts that it is going to be an \u2018incredible\u2019 series.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be tough and a great series to watch. This is why we play the game: you want to become a Springbok, and you want to play against the All Blacks, number one and number two (in the world),\u201d he said on the Behind the Ruck podcast.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI was fortunate enough to play in those against Jeff Wilson, Josh Kronfeld, Jonah Lomu, and Jerry Collins. I was very fortunate enough to be involved, but the All Blacks were very strong in those days when Sean Fitzpatrick retired, and then Richie McCaw and Dan Carter came in.<\/p>\n \u201cThey had a good team, we klapped (slapped) them a few times, but they had a good era, and that\u2019s where I think we\u2019ve now overtaken them with Rassie\u2019s genius and his coaching staff, but it\u2019s going to be an incredible series.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaying a series against the All Blacks is always going to be tough, especially so close to the World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n Percy Montgomery: \u2018There was something about Rassie, you just knew he was different\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n All Blacks star reveals what caught him \u2018off guard\u2019 after challenging 2025 campaign<\/a><\/p>\n Warning to the Springboks<\/p>\n New Zealand hammered the Springboks 57-0 in 2017 before Erasmus remarkably turned things around and went on to win the 2019 Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n Montgomery referenced this when making the point on how quickly things can change in rugby and warns that the same can happen for the All Blacks.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting goosebumps when you say that rivalry,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s an aura about the All Blacks, and it\u2019s something we should never forget. I know they\u2019re struggling a bit now, but so did the Springboks before they won the World Cup with Rassie.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got klapped in New Zealand, and we turned it around in a matter of months to go on to win a World Cup. So, anything can happen in rugby, and we all know, we\u2019ve all been there. Complacency is a dangerous word.\u201d<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n