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.
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.
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.
The number of records and first-time defeats in recent years has led many pundits and former players to state that the All Blacks have ‘lost their aura’.
However, Springboks legend Percy Montgomery warns that Rassie Erasmus and his charges mustn’t underestimate New Zealand when Robertson’s side tours South Africa later this year.
“It’s why we play the game.”
The two sides will collide in three Tests in South Africa, with a fourth set to take place at an international venue, with the All Blacks also playing the four United Rugby Championship franchises.
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 ‘incredible’ series.
“It’s 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),” he said on the Behind the Ruck podcast.
“I 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.
“They had a good team, we klapped (slapped) them a few times, but they had a good era, and that’s where I think we’ve now overtaken them with Rassie’s genius and his coaching staff, but it’s going to be an incredible series.
“Playing a series against the All Blacks is always going to be tough, especially so close to the World Cup.”
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Warning to the Springboks
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.
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.
“I’m getting goosebumps when you say that rivalry,” he continued.
“There’s an aura about the All Blacks, and it’s something we should never forget. I know they’re struggling a bit now, but so did the Springboks before they won the World Cup with Rassie.
“We 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’ve all been there. Complacency is a dangerous word.”
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