South Africa made a strong start, with Handré Pollard opening the scoring from the kicking tee before Australia responded through Ryan Lonergan. The Springboks then took control through a powerful rolling maul, with Johan Grobbelaar crossing the line to put the visitors 10–3 ahead.
Australia quickly found their rhythm, however, with Len Ikitau scoring two tries as the Wallabies turned the match on its head. The Springboks responded through Edwill van der Merwe, who finished off a well-worked attacking move to bring the scores level at 17–17.
The hosts regained the advantage before half-time when Ben Donaldson crossed after sustained pressure, giving Australia a 24–17 lead at the break.
Australia continued to apply pressure after the restart and extended their advantage through a combination of accurate goal-kicking and clinical attacking play. Captain Harry Wilson added another try before Max Jorgensen produced one of the moments of the match, collecting a loose ball and racing approximately 60 metres to score.
With just 15 minutes remaining, Australia appeared to be in complete control with a 42–17 lead.
But the Springboks refused to surrender.
A dramatic final period saw Australia lose several players to yellow cards, leaving the Wallabies with only 11 players on the field at one stage. South Africa immediately capitalised on the numerical advantage, earning a penalty try before Morné van den Berg crossed the line.
Ox Nche then powered over for another try, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu adding the conversion to reduce the deficit to just four points.
Suddenly, a match that had appeared to be comfortably in Australia’s hands was transformed into a frantic final few minutes. The Springboks threw everything at the Wallabies as they searched for a match-winning score, but Australia held firm under enormous pressure.
Eventually, the Wallabies managed to clear the ball into touch, securing a memorable 42–38 victory and claiming the Mandela Challenge Plate.
For the Springboks, the defeat will be a frustrating one after their remarkable late comeback. Defensive lapses, discipline and Australia’s ability to exploit opportunities gave the hosts the advantage for much of the contest, while the 25-point deficit ultimately proved too large to overcome.
Despite the loss, the Springboks’ late fightback demonstrated their never-say-die character and ensured that Australia had to fight until the very end to protect their lead.
It was a Test match filled with momentum swings, attacking rugby and late drama, with Australia ultimately holding their nerve to claim one of their most memorable victories over the world champions.
