Australia survive late sin‑bins to beat South Africa 42-38 in Perth
Australia beat South Africa 42-38 in Perth on 27 September 2026 despite being reduced to 11 men, with the hosts scoring five tries and fending off a late Springbok rally.
Australia opened a 25-point lead with 16 minutes remaining before a sequence of four yellow cards in nine minutes left them overrun, while South Africa made 13 changes after their win over New Zealand in Baltimore and still fielded a second-row pairing that carried 240 caps between them.
The match began with traded penalties before Springboks hooker Johan Grobbelaar powered over from a maul for the first try. Australia hit back when Len Ikitau forced his way over from close range and then crossed again after the visitors mishandled a high ball; Edwill van der Merwe replied with a break to score in the corner.
Australia regained the lead before half-time when, after 14 patient phases, they shifted the ball from right to left and Ben Donaldson finished in the corner. Rassie Erasmus responded to a 10-point deficit by making eight early second-half changes, but the Wallabies continued to press.
Harry Wilson was initially denied a try by touch but shortly afterwards scored near the posts, then Max Jorgensen sprinted the length of the field following a South African fumble to make it 42-17. A sequence of sin-binnings began thereafter: Wilson (68), Ryan Lonergan (71), Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i (73) and Hunter Paisami (77) left Australia down to 11 men at one stage.
South Africa capitalised on the numerical advantage with a penalty try and tries from Morne van den Berg and Ox Nche, and Van der Merwe had a further score interrupted by a knock-on; Tom Wright’s interception try for Australia was ruled out and Paisami was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle in the build-up. Play ended with the visitors four points short.
Scoring summary and match details: Tries — Ikitau 2, Donaldson, Wilson, Jorgensen; Cons — Lonergan 4; Pens — Lonergan 3. South Africa tries — Grobbelaar, van der Merwe, penalty try, van den Berg, Nche; Cons — Pollard 2, Mngomezulu 2; Pens — Pollard. Australia: Wright, Jorgensen, Ikitau, Paisami, Sua'ali'i, Donaldson, Lonergan; Bell, Paenga-Amosa, Alaalatoa, Salakaia-Loto, Williams, Valetini, McReight, Wilson. Replacements: Pollard, Ross, Tupou, Shaw, Hooper, Tizzano, McDermott, Potter. Yellow cards: Wilson 68, Lonergan 71, Sua'ali'i 73, Paisami 77. South Africa: Fassi, Van der Merwe, Moodie, Esterhuizen, Hooker, Pollard, Jantjies; Wessels, Grobbelaar, Porthen, Etzebeth, Mostert, De Villiers, Louw, Van Staden. Replacements: Marx, Nche, Louw, De Jager, Wiese, Van den Berg, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Horn.
A year out from hosting the World Cup, and a year on from being soundly beaten on home soil by the Lions, it was the home side who impressed before their late collapse. Australia will open the 2027 World Cup against Hong Kong in Perth.