Springboks coach Allister Coetzee insists he won't punish his players for one bad performance against the All Blacks and said the record loss will not define the team.
The South African side is under siege following their 57-0 defeat to New Zealand in Albany, the worst in the country's 126-year Test history.
But a defiant Coetzee said the Springboks won't "hang themselves" based on what happened against the world champions.
"I want to say it up front that the Albany game doesn't define this team," Coetzee told reporters.
"It was one game where we were definitely poor... I'll never sweep that under the carpet.
