The contest between Australia (Wallabies) and South Africa (Springboks) is one of the major rivalries in international rugby union. Since 1996, the two teams have competed in the annual Rugby Championship (formerly known as the Tri Nations Series), and since the 2000s, they have contested for the Mandela Challenge Plate.
The Wallabies team.
Early Encounters and Tours
The teams' first meeting was on 8 July 1933 at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town in the first of five tests on the 1933 Australia tour of South Africa and Rhodesia. In the amateur era, the Springboks made five tours to Australia, and were undefeated in three of them.
South Africa won three of the five test series they played in Australia; 2-0 in 1937, 2-0 in 1956 and 3-0 in 1971. By contrast, the Wallabies made six tours to South Africa, only once making it through undefeated, albeit on a tour comprising only four matches and one test in 1992.
The Apartheid Era and Boycott
Prior to 1972, South African teams were racially selected, organised by the whites-only South African Rugby Board (SARB). Australia then supported the international boycott of sporting contacts with South Africa over the issue of apartheid.
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Post-Apartheid Era and Professionalism
The teams did not meet again until 1992, when apartheid was being dismantled and the South African Rugby Board had merged with the non-racial South African Rugby Union (SARU). Since that time Australia has won just over 50% of their games and has won the Mandela Challenge Plate nine times in the twelve years since its inception.
In the professional era, extended tours of each country have been replaced by participation in an annual series involving the top teams of the Southern Hemisphere. From 1996 through 2011, Australia and South Africa competed alongside New Zealand in the Tri Nations Series. Starting in 2012, the three nations competed alongside Argentina in The Rugby Championship.
The Springboks jersey.
Rugby World Cup Clashes
Australia and South Africa have met three times in the Rugby World Cup. In 1995 they were drawn in the same pool and host nation South Africa won 27-18, going on to win the cup. In 1999 Australia knocked South Africa out of the competition in a semi-final at Twickenham, winning 27-21, after extra-time.
Boks DOMINATE | South Africa v Australia | World Rugby U20 Championship 2025 Extended Highlights
Rugby Championship 2025: Upcoming Matches
South Africa's Springboks will kick off their Rugby Championship defence with a clash against the somewhat resurgent Australia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday. To kick off The Rugby Championship, Australia moves from a three-match series against the British and Irish Lions to back-to-back matches against the No. 1-ranked South Africa Springboks in South Africa.
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Here’s what to know about the South Africa vs. Australia matchup in the first round of The Rugby Championship:
- South Africa Vs. Australia, Rugby Championship Round 1: Aug. 16 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
- South Africa Vs. Australia, Rugby Championship Round 2: Aug. ET at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
The match is streaming live in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app. Match archives, replays and breaking news will be on both platforms.
Team Lineups for the First Match
South Africa Rugby Lineup Vs. Australia
Starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi; 14 Edwill van der Merwe; 13 Jesse Kriel; 12 Andre Esterhuizen; 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Manie Libbok; 9 Grant Williams; 8 Siya Kolisi (captain); 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit; 6 Marco van Staden; 5 Lood de Jager; 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Wilco Louw; 2 Malcolm Marx; 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi; 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels; 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye; 19 Franco Mostert; 20 Kwagga Smith; 21 Cobus Reinach; 22 Canan Moodie; 23 Damian Willemse.
Australia Rugby Lineup Vs. South Africa
The Wallabies haven't named a starting XV for the first match as of Aug. Wallabies
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Rassie Erasmus, the coach of South Africa.
Historical Context and Recent Form
Australia, led by outgoing coach Joe Schmidt, has improved since the struggles of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Despite suffering the worst loss in their history last year, the Wallabies rebounded from a poor Rugby Championship to post a solid showing in the Autumn Nations. With star Will Skelton back after an injury-plagued 2024, Australia could be one of the toughest teams in the competition - outside of the Springboks, of course.
South Africa has held the No. 1 spot in the world since New Zealand beat Ireland in the Autumn Nations. The Springboks opened 2025 with ease, sweeping Italy in two matches, before defeating Rugby Europe champion Georgia to close July.
WallabiesSouth Africa is unbeaten in its last eight tests against Australia on home soil (seven wins, one draw) and hasn’t lost to the Wallabies there since 2011. The 43-12 victory in their most recent home meeting was the Springboks' biggest win against Australia since 2008 and their third-largest ever. In Johannesburg, the history is almost flawless - the Springboks have won their last seven against the Wallabies there, with a narrow 11-9 loss in August 1963 standing as their only home defeat to Australia in the city.
Rob Valetini returns to the Wallabies side this weekend.
The Road Ahead
If the Wallabies are serious about winning the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup this year and ultimately, the 2027 World Cup at home, it starts in the early hours of Sunday morning Australian time. To be the best they must beat the beast.
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