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 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. The test was won 17–3 by South Africa who also won the series 3–2.

Before the era of sporting boycotts, South Africa dominated the early encounters up to 1971.

Both sides have exhibited a considerable home advantage, with the Springboks winning more than 75% of matches played in South Africa, and the Wallabies winning more than 60% of matches played in Australia.

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. Prior to that, Australia's best away tour was the 2-all drawn test series of 1963.

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. 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.National rugby unions

In the professional era, extended tours of each country have been replaced by participation in an annual series involving the top teams of the Southern Hemisphere.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. In the Tri Nations Series era, the Wallabies and Springboks played two or three encounters each year on a home-and-away basis; the Rugby Championship features two annual encounters, also on a home-and-away basis.

Rugby World Cup 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. In 2011, Australia again knocked South Africa out of the competition, in a quarter-final at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, winning 11–9.

Summary Overall Details Played Won byAustralia Won bySouth Africa Drawn Australia points South Africa points In Australia4629152994827 In South Africa50113817421,156 Neutral venue22003830Overall98425331,7742,013

Records Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set. RecordAustraliaSouth AfricaLongest winning streak5 (4 September 2010 – 29 September 2012)7 (19 September 1953 – 10 August 1963; 2 August 1969 – 29 August 1992)Largest points forHome49 (15 July 2006)61 (23 August 1997)Away41 (4 September 2010)38 (7 September 2013)Largest winning marginHome49 (15 July 2006)45 (30 August 2008)Away23 (29 August 1992)26 (7 September 2013, 10 August 2024)Largest aggregate score83 (South Africa 61–22 Australia) (23 August 1997)

Results No. Date Venue Score Winner Competition 1 8 July 1933 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 17–3 1933 Australia tour of South Africa 2 22 July 1933 Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban 6–21 3 12 August 1933 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 12–3 4 26 August 1933 St George's Park, Port Elizabeth 11–0 5 2 September 1933 Springbok Park, Bloemfontein 4–15 6 26 June 1937 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 5–9 1937 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand 7 17 July 1937 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 17–26 8 22 August 1953 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 25–3 1953 Australia tour of South Africa 9 5 September 1953 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 14–18 10 19 September 1953 Kingsmead, Durban 18–8 11 26 September 1953 St George's Park, Port Elizabeth 22–9 12 26 May 1956 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 0–9 1956 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand 13 2 June 1956 Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 0–9 14 5 August 1961 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 28–3 1961 Australia tour of South Africa 15 12 August 1961 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 23–11 16 13 July 1963 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 14–3 1963 Australia tour of South Africa 17 10 August 1963 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 5–9 18 24 August 1963 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 9–11 19 7 September 1963 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 22–6 20 19 June 1965 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 18–11 1965 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand 21 26 June 1965 Lang Park, Brisbane 12–8 22 2 August 1969 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 30–11 1969 Australia tour of South Africa 23 16 August 1969 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 16–9 24 6 September 1969 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 11–3 25 20 September 1969 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 19–8 26 17 July 1971 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 11–19 1971 South Africa tour of Australia 27 31 July 1971 Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 6–14 28 7 August 1971 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 6–18 29 29 August 1992 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 3–26 1992 Australia tour of South Africa 30 31 July 1993 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 12–19 1993 South Africa tour of Australia 31 14 August 1993 Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane 28–20 32 21 August 1993 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 19–12 33 25 May 1995 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 18–27 1995 Rugby World Cup 34 13 July 1996 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 21–16 1996 Tri Nations Series 35 3 August 1996 Free State Stadium, Bloemfentein 25–19 36 2 August 1997 Lang Park, Brisbane 32–20 1997 Tri Nations Series 37 23 August 1997 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 61–22 38 18 July 1998 Subiaco Oval, Perth 13–14 1998 Tri Nations Series 39 22 August 1998 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 29–15 40 17 July 1999 Lang Park, Brisbane 32–6 1999 Tri Nations Series 41 14 August 1999 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 10–9 42 30 October 1999 Twickenham Stadium, London (England) 27–21 1999 Rugby World Cup 43 8 July 2000 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne 44–23 2000 Mandela Challenge Plate 44 29 July 2000 Stadium Australia, Sydney 26–6 2000 Tri Nations Series 45 26 August 2000 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 18–19 46 28 July 2001 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 20–15 2001 Tri Nations Series 47 18 August 2001 Subiaco Oval, Perth 14–14 draw 48 27 July 2002 Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane 38–27 2002 Tri Nations Series 49 17 August 2002 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 33–31 50 12 July 2003 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 26–22 2003 Tri Nations Series 51 2 August 2003 Lang Park, Brisbane 29–9 52 31 July 2004 Subiaco Oval, Perth 30–26 2004 Tri Nations Series 53 21 August 2004 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 23–19 54 9 July 2005 Stadium Australia, Sydney 30–12 2005 Summer International 55 23 July 2005 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 33–20 56 30 July 2005 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 22–16 2005 Tri Nations Series 57 20 August 2005 Subiaco Oval, Perth 19–22 58 15 July 2006 Lang Park, Brisbane 49–0 2006 Tri Nations Series 59 5 August 2006 Stadium Australia, Sydney 20–18 60 9 September 2006 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 24–16 61 16 June 2007 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 22–19 2007 Tri Nations Series 62 7 July 2007 Stadium Australia, Sydney 25–17 63 19 July 2008 Subiaco Oval, Perth 16–9 2008 Tri Nations Series 64 23 August 2008 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 15–27 65 30 August 2008 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 53–8 66 8 August 2009 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 29–17 2009 Tri Nations Series 67 29 August 2009 Subiaco Oval, Perth 25–32 68 5 September 2009 Lang Park, Brisbane 21–6 69 24 July 2010 Lang Park, Brisbane 30–13 2010 Tri Nations Series 70 28 August 2010 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 44–31 71 4 September 2010 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 39–41 72 23 July 2011 Stadium Australia, Sydney 39–20 2011 Tri Nations Series 73 13 August 2011 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 9–14 74 9 October 2011 Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington (New Zealand) 9–11 2011 Rugby World Cup 75 8 September 2012 Subiaco Oval, Perth 26–19 2012 Rugby Championship 76 29 September 2012 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 31–8 77 7 September 2013 Lang Park, Brisbane 12–38 2013 Rugby Championship 78 28 September 2013 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 28–8 79 6 September 2014 Subiaco Oval, Perth 24–23 2014 Rugby Championship 80 27 September 2014 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 28–10 81 18 July 2015 Lang Park, Brisbane 24–20 2015 Rugby Championship 82 10 September 2016 Lang Park, Brisbane 23–17 2016 Rugby Championship 83 1 October 2016 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 18–10 84 9 September 2017 Perth Oval, Perth 23–23 draw 2017 Rugby Championship 85 30 September 2017 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 27–27 draw 86 8 September 2018 Lang Park, Brisbane 23–18 2018 Rugby Championship 87 29 September 2018 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth 23–12 88 20 July 2019 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 35–17 2019 Rugby Championship 89 11 September 2021 Robina Stadium, Gold Coast 26–28 2021 Rugby Championship 90 18 September 2021 Lang Park, Brisbane 30–17 91 27 August 2022 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide 25–17 2022 Rugby Championship 92 3 September 2022 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 8–24 93 8 July 2023 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 43–12 2023 Rugby Championship 94 10 August 2024 Lang Park, Brisbane 7–33 2024 Rugby Championship 95 17 August 2024 Perth Stadium, Perth 12–30 96 16 August 2025 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 22–38 2025 Rugby Championship 97 23 August 2025 Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town 30–22 98 27 September 2026 Perth Stadium, Perth 42–38

XV results Below is a list of matches that Australia has retrospectively awarded matches test match status by virtue of awarding caps, but South Africa did not award caps.

DateVenueScoreWinnerCompetition 2 July 1921 University Oval, Sydney9–28 1921 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand 27 June 1921 Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney11–16 25 June 1921 Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney10–25

List of series Played Won byAustralia Won bySouth Africa Drawn 10 2 7 1

Year Australia South Africa Series winner 1933 2 3 1937 0 2 1953 1 3 1956 0 2 1961 0 2 1963 2 2 draw 1965 2 0 1969 0 4 1971 0 3 1993 2 1

See also

Mandela Challenge Plate

Notes

References

External links