Ask anyone who watched sport this week what “Australia vs South Africa” means and you’ll get two answers. In Perth, the Wallabies pulled off one of the wildest finishes in recent Test rugby. In South Africa, the Proteas have quietly taken an ODI series off the reigning one-day world champions. Read together, the two stories say something about how these rivalries are shifting.
Rugby: the Wallabies nearly threw it away
The Wallabies beat the Springboks 42-38 in Perth on Sunday, their biggest result yet under head coach Les Kiss. For most of the night it looked like a rout. Australia had a 42-17 lead in the closing stages, and 42 points was their highest tally against the Boks in 20 years.
Then the match turned. Four Wallabies were sent to the sin bin in a chaotic 12-minute stretch, and South Africa’s bench got its chance. Rassie Erasmus sent on all his replacements at once, and the Boks scored through a penalty try, a Morne van den Berg try that made it 42-31, and an Ox Nche try with under a minute left. The Wallabies held on after South Africa’s final attack broke down.
Two details explain the result better than the scoreline does. First, the aerial contest. Victor Matfield questioned South Africa’s kicking strategy after Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii kept winning the high ball. A team that kicks long and contests in the air needs to win that battle, and the Boks didn’t. Second, the bigger picture. The win returned the Mandela Challenge Plate to Australia for the first time since 2022, and it came a year out from the Rugby World Cup. That is why the result matters beyond one Sunday.
Cricket: the Proteas make the series look easy
While rugby fans were still catching their breath, the cricket had already tilted South Africa’s way. The 50-over series is best of three, and South Africa have already won it.
First ODI, Durban. South Africa made 297/8 and beat Australia, who were bowled out for 230, by 67 runs. The chase collapsed spectacularly. Australia were 129/1 after 16 overs and then lost nine wickets for 101 runs, with Keshav Maharaj taking 4/20. The innings was built on Matthew Breetzke’s 112 and a 107-run stand with Marco Jansen that rescued a middling total.
Second ODI, Johannesburg. South Africa made 365/9 and won by 32 runs, with David Miller scoring 142 and Temba Bavuma 103. The win clinched the series 2-0. Australia’s attack was also short of options. They went in without Pat Cummins, and Nathan Ellis bowled only four overs after a side injury.
Third ODI, Potchefstroom (30 September). With the series already decided, the finale is a dead rubber, played at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl. The match gives both sides a last chance to test combinations and build rhythm before the Tests.
What connects the two results
Both stories are about collapses, but they go in opposite directions. In the rugby, the side that dominated nearly lost its lead. In the cricket, Australia’s chase fell apart in Durban after a fast start. The common thread is that both Australian teams were competitive for long stretches and were undone by short periods of poor discipline or execution. South Africa’s approach in both sports is to stay in the contest and rely on depth, whether it’s Erasmus’s bench or the spin of Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin.
There is also historical context. South Africa chased down Australia’s 434 in the famous 2006 match at the Wanderers, and they won the ODI series in Australia 2-1 in 2025. Bavuma’s and Miller’s batting has kept that rivalry intense.
What to watch next
Test cricket: Australia’s tour of South Africa includes three Tests, with dates listed from 9 October. The long format will test Australia’s depth more than the ODIs did.
Rugby: Australia’s win will lift confidence, but the Boks will want to correct their discipline and kicking before the next meeting.
Quick answers
Who won Australia vs South Africa? In rugby, Australia won 42-38 on Sunday. In ODI cricket, South Africa lead 2-0 and have won the series.
Is the third ODI important? Not for the series result, but it is a chance for both sides to try combinations before the Tests.
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