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L. Ikitau (23', 26'), B. Donaldson (38'), H. Wilson (59'), M. Jorgensen (63')
Tries
J. Grobbelaar (9'), van der Merwe (29'), Penalty Try (70'), van den Berg (73'), O. Nche (79')
R. Lonergan (24', 27', 39', 60')
Conversions
H. Pollard (10', 30'), S. Feinberg-Mngomezulu (73', 79')
R. Lonergan (6', 47', 53')
Penalties
H. Pollard (3')
For all the drama at the end, this should not be remembered simply as an Australian escape. The Wallabies played their way into a 42–17 lead before four late yellow cards brought South Africa charging back into the contest. Australia reclaimed the Mandela Challenge Plate for the first time since 2022, but the celebrations came with a warning: even a 25-point advantage can disappear quickly when discipline unravels.
South Africa had initially found a more familiar route into the game. Paul de Villiers disrupted Australia at the breakdown, Handré Pollard opened the scoring from the tee and Johan Grobbelaar finished a powerful driving maul to help establish a 10–3 lead. Those early exchanges showed that the Springboks had ways to apply pressure. Their problem was sustaining it once Australia began finding opportunities beyond those collisions.
Len Ikitau provided the first major shift. His opening try came through direct, forceful carrying, before his second rewarded Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s pressure on Aphelele Fassi under a high ball. Australia’s decision to move Suaalii to the wing produced something tangible: a contested kick became an attacking opportunity, with Ikitau positioned to collect the loose ball and finish. Alongside Max Jorgensen, Suaalii helped turn the aerial contest into a source of Australian possession rather than simply a defensive examination.
The Springboks were still capable of cutting through. Canan Moodie’s break helped create Edwill van der Merwe’s reply, bringing the scores back to 17–17. But Australia’s response before half-time was particularly encouraging. Tom Wright’s kick released Jorgensen, and the Wallabies then worked through successive phases before Suaalii supplied Ben Donaldson for the finish. There was creativity in creating the opportunity and patience in completing it. Australia went into the break 24–17 ahead.
That patience mattered as much as the attacking highlights. Early Australian handling errors had threatened to waste promising positions, but the hosts continued asking questions rather than retreating into a purely territorial game. Fraser McReight and Brandon Paenga-Amosa helped disrupt South African possession, while the forwards’ close-range work drew defenders in before the ball moved wider. Donaldson’s try was the clearest example of those parts connecting.
Ryan Lonergan then helped turn a narrow advantage into something substantial. His two second-half penalties kept the scoreboard moving, and he finished with 17 points from four conversions and three penalties. Rassie Erasmus emptied his entire eight-man bench before the 50-minute mark, but the anticipated change in momentum did not arrive immediately. Harry Wilson scored from close range, then Jorgensen collected another loose South African ball and raced away. By the 64th minute, Australia were 42–17 ahead.
For South Africa, the uncomfortable part was that the replacements had been on the field while the deficit continued growing. Changing personnel had not immediately solved their problems retaining possession or handling Australia’s pressure. For the Wallabies, meanwhile, losing Ikitau to an apparent ankle injury forced another adjustment, with Harry Potter introduced and Suaalii moving back into midfield. Australia continued scoring despite that disruption. The lead had been built through more than one successful combination.
Then the match changed completely. Wilson’s yellow card for a high tackle was followed by Lonergan’s dismissal for an offside intervention that also brought a penalty try. Suaalii was subsequently sent to the bin, and South Africa’s scrum began dictating the closing exchanges. Morné van den Berg’s converted try reduced the deficit to 42–31. The Springboks were no longer searching for a foothold; they were repeatedly attacking a depleted defence with the set-piece pressure to keep it retreating.
Even an apparent Australian match-winner became another setback. Wright intercepted and raced away, only for the score to be ruled out because of Hunter Paisami’s high tackle on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the build-up. Paisami became the fourth Australian sent to the bin, leaving just 11 players on the field. Ox Nche’s late converted try brought South Africa within four, but Wilson and Lonergan returned before the final defensive stand. Back to 13, Australia survived when the Springboks were penalised for obstruction.
“I don’t want us to forget about the first 60,” Les Kiss said afterwards. That is the right starting point for Australia’s assessment. Their attacking ambition had substance, their selections created opportunities and their pressure produced a winning advantage. The closing discipline still demands scrutiny; surviving it does not make it sustainable. For South Africa, the late recovery demonstrated how dangerous their forward pressure remained, but it should not obscure the earlier failings. Australia earned the lead through better execution. South Africa nearly overturned it once the numbers changed. Both parts matter, but only one side left Perth with the trophy.
