We’re hurting, admits coach

Springbok coach Allister Coetzee (below) tried his best to downplay the grim situation of doom and gloom which settled over South African rugby after the Springboks suffered their biggest defeat in history against the All Blacks in Albany at the weekend.

The 57-0 thrashing they received in the Rugby Championship clash overtook the record margin of defeat which had been set in their 57-15 loss to New Zealand in Durban last year, as well as their 53-3 defeat against England in 2002 and the 49-0 loss to Australia in 2006.

“I am obviously very disappointed and the players are all hurting. It was definitely not through a lack of effort,” Coetzee said.

“We kept on fighting and there were passages of great defence, passages of attack, but in the end not good enough.”

The All Blacks, who led 31-0 at half-time, scored four tries in each stanza, and together with the nine tries they bagged in Durban, New Zealand have now scored 17 tries in their last two Tests against the Boks without conceding one.

“We have no option but to fight back in our two remaining matches in South Africa,” Coetzee said.

“I have seen what this team can do in six matches this year, and I have no doubt we will turn it around. We will learn from this experience and get stronger.”

All Black coach Steve Hansen felt the scoreboard was probably an unfair reflection on the match, as he believed the Boks were “much more competitive” than the final scoreline indicated.

It was, however, the first time in nine years that the Boks had been held pointless against the New Zealanders.

There were serious question marks over the brittle defence of the two Bok wingers Raymond Rhule and Courtnall Skosan, but Coetzee said he would first review the game before thinking about drastic changes.