All Blacks salvaged after record loss to SA

THE All Blacks’ record loss to South Africa was blasted by New Zealand media and commentators yesterday, with former captain Kieran Read asserting rugby’s most famous team lacked a “spine”.

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Scrutiny on coach Scott Robertson and his team was intense following their late capitulation in Saturday’s 43-10 Rugby Championship Test in Wellington. It was the heaviest defeat in all of New Zealand’s 658 Tests and prompted Read to condemn a lack of fight when the Springboks ran in four of their six tries in the final 18 minutes.

“You've got to look at this All Blacks side and go, okay, there’s something not right there,’ Read told Sky Sport. “There's something within that group when youre able just to leak and leak. Where’ that spine that we want to see?”

A member of New Zealand's 2011 and 2015 World Cup-winning sides, Read said the current team cannot match the inspirational leadership of South African skipper Siya Kolisi.