Calling them “one of the great teams of the modern era”, Wyatt Crockett emphasised the strength and depth of the Springboks under Rassie Erasmus.
Crockett’s comments come after the Boks clinched their first full Rugby Championship title in 15 years, adding to a list of achievements that includes two World Cup victories and the 2021 British & Irish Lions series win.
Notably, South Africa also beat New Zealand back to back in 2024, to make it a record four successive Test wins for the Boks over their traditional rivals.
Speaking on SENZ Radio’s Mornings with Ian Smith, the former All Blacks prop and 2015 Rugby World Cup winner in 2015 was quoted: “This Springboks team is one of the great teams of the modern era.
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“They’ve won a couple of World Cups and have massive depth in every position. Their B team is not too far off their A team.”
Reflecting on the All Blacks’ performances under new head coach Scott Robertson, Crockett was cautious not to be overly critical. “It’s been a challenging start coming up against quality opposition,” he said.
“The All Blacks have been up against some really tough teams, but I’m interested to see their growth and the lessons they take forward.”
Crockett also highlighted the All Blacks’ need to improve their finishing, especially in the final 20 minutes of matches. “It’s a huge area of growth, and it’s been interesting to watch them try to get back to finishing strongly,” he added.
He believes Robertson’s focus will help the All Blacks evolve ahead of their end-of-year internationals.
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