![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Solomon_chaired_1953.jpg/150px-Solomon_chaired_1953.jpg)
The contest between The Wallabies and The Springboks is: one of the: major rivalries in rugby union. Since 2000s, theββtwo teams have competed for the Mandela Challenge Plate.
The teams' first meeting was on 8 July 1933 at Newlands in Cape Town in the first of 5 tests on the 1933 Wallabies tour. The test was won 17β3 by South Africa who also won that first series 3β2.
South Africa has a 53.8% winning record against Australia. And before the era of sporting boycotts, dominated the early encounters upββto 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 toursββto Australia, "and were undefeated in three of them." South Africa won three of the five test series they played in Australia; 2β0 in 1937, 2-0 in 1956 and 3β0 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. 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 SARB had merged with the non-racial South African Rugby Union. Since that time Australia has won just over 50% of their games and "has won the Mandela Plate nine times in the twelve years since its inception."
In the professional era, extended tours of each country have been replaced by participation in an annual series involving the top teams of the Southern Hemisphere.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 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 Cupβ»
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 27β18, going on to win the cup. In 1999 Australia knocked South Africa out of the competition in a semi-final at Twickenham, winning 27β21, after extra-time. In 2011, Australia again knocked South Africa out of the competition, in a quarter-final at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, winning 11β9.
Summaryβ»
Overallβ»
Details | Played | Won by Australia |
Won by South Africa |
Drawn | Australia points | South Africa points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In Australia | 43 | 28 | 13 | 2 | 933 | 726 |
In South Africa | 48 | 10 | 37 | 1 | 682 | 1,104 |
Neutral venue | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 30 |
Overall | 93 | 40 | 50 | 3 | 1,653 | 1,860 |
Recordsβ»
Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was/last set.
Record | Australia | South Africa |
---|---|---|
Longest winning streak | 5 (4 September 2010 β 29 September 2012) | 7 (19 September 1953 β 10 August 1963; 2 August 1969 β 29 August 1992) |
Largest points for | ||
Home | 49 (15 July 2006) | 61 (23 August 1997) |
Away | 41 (4 September 2010) | 38 (7 September 2013) |
Largest winning margin | ||
Home | 49 (15 July 2006) | 45 (30 August 2008) |
Away | 23 (29 August 1992) | 26 (7 September 2013) |
Largest aggregate score | ||
83 (South Africa 61β22 Australia) (23 August 1997) |
Resultsβ»
No. | Date | Venue | Score | Winner | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 July 1933 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 17β3 | ![]() |
1933 Australia tour of South Africa |
2 | 22 July 1933 | Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban | 6β21 | ![]() | |
3 | 12 August 1933 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 12β3 | ![]() | |
4 | 26 August 1933 | St George's Park, Port Elizabeth | 11β0 | ![]() | |
5 | 2 September 1933 | Springbok Park, Bloemfontein | 4β15 | ![]() | |
6 | 26 June 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 5β9 | ![]() |
1937 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
7 | 17 July 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 17β26 | ![]() | |
8 | 22 August 1953 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 25β3 | ![]() |
1953 Australia tour of South Africa |
9 | 5 September 1953 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 14β18 | ![]() | |
10 | 19 September 1953 | Kingsmead, Durban | 18β8 | ![]() | |
11 | 26 September 1953 | St George's Park, Port Elizabeth | 22β9 | ![]() | |
12 | 26 May 1956 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 0β9 | ![]() |
1956 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
13 | 2 June 1956 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane | 0β9 | ![]() | |
14 | 5 August 1961 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 28β3 | ![]() |
1961 Australia tour of South Africa |
15 | 12 August 1961 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 23β11 | ![]() | |
16 | 13 July 1963 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 14β3 | ![]() |
1963 Australia tour of South Africa |
17 | 10 August 1963 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 5β9 | ![]() | |
18 | 24 August 1963 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 9β11 | ![]() | |
19 | 7 September 1963 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 22β6 | ![]() | |
20 | 19 June 1965 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 18β11 | ![]() |
1965 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
21 | 26 June 1965 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 12β8 | ![]() | |
22 | 2 August 1969 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 30β11 | ![]() |
1969 Australia tour of South Africa |
23 | 16 August 1969 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 16β9 | ![]() | |
24 | 6 September 1969 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 11β3 | ![]() | |
25 | 20 September 1969 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 19β8 | ![]() | |
26 | 17 July 1971 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 11β19 | ![]() |
1971 South Africa tour of Australia |
27 | 31 July 1971 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane | 6β14 | ![]() | |
28 | 7 August 1971 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 6β18 | ![]() | |
29 | 29 August 1992 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 3β26 | ![]() |
1992 Australia tour of South Africa |
30 | 31 July 1993 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 12β19 | ![]() |
1993 South Africa tour of Australia |
31 | 14 August 1993 | Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane | 28β20 | ![]() | |
32 | 21 August 1993 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 19β12 | ![]() | |
33 | 25 May 1995 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 18β27 | ![]() |
1995 Rugby World Cup |
34 | 13 July 1996 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 21β16 | ![]() |
1996 Tri Nations Series |
35 | 3 August 1996 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfentein | 25β19 | ![]() | |
36 | 2 August 1997 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 32β20 | ![]() |
1997 Tri Nations Series |
37 | 23 August 1997 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 61β22 | ![]() | |
38 | 18 July 1998 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 13β14 | ![]() |
1998 Tri Nations Series |
39 | 22 August 1998 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 29β15 | ![]() | |
40 | 17 July 1999 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 32β6 | ![]() |
1999 Tri Nations Series |
41 | 14 August 1999 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 10β9 | ![]() | |
42 | 30 October 1999 | Twickenham Stadium, London (England) | 27β21 | ![]() |
1999 Rugby World Cup |
43 | 8 July 2000 | Docklands Stadium, Melbourne | 44β23 | ![]() |
2000 Summer International |
44 | 29 July 2000 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 26β6 | ![]() |
2000 Tri Nations Series |
45 | 26 August 2000 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 18β19 | ![]() | |
46 | 28 July 2001 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 20β15 | ![]() |
2001 Tri Nations Series |
47 | 18 August 2001 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 14β14 | draw | |
48 | 27 July 2002 | Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane | 38β27 | ![]() |
2002 Tri Nations Series |
49 | 17 August 2002 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 33β31 | ![]() | |
50 | 12 July 2003 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 26β22 | ![]() |
2003 Tri Nations Series |
51 | 2 August 2003 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 29β9 | ![]() | |
52 | 31 July 2004 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 30β26 | ![]() |
2004 Tri Nations Series |
53 | 21 August 2004 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 23β19 | ![]() | |
54 | 9 July 2005 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 30β12 | ![]() |
2005 Summer International |
55 | 23 July 2005 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 33β20 | ![]() | |
56 | 30 July 2005 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 22β16 | ![]() |
2005 Tri Nations Series |
57 | 20 August 2005 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 19β22 | ![]() | |
58 | 15 July 2006 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 49β0 | ![]() |
2006 Tri Nations Series |
59 | 5 August 2006 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 20β18 | ![]() | |
60 | 9 September 2006 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 24β16 | ![]() | |
61 | 16 June 2007 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 22β19 | ![]() |
2007 Tri Nations Series |
62 | 7 July 2007 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 25β17 | ![]() | |
63 | 19 July 2008 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 16β9 | ![]() |
2008 Tri Nations Series |
64 | 23 August 2008 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 15β27 | ![]() | |
65 | 30 August 2008 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 53β8 | ![]() | |
66 | 8 August 2009 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 29β17 | ![]() |
2009 Tri Nations Series |
67 | 29 August 2009 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 25β32 | ![]() | |
68 | 5 September 2009 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 21β6 | ![]() | |
69 | 24 July 2010 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 30β13 | ![]() |
2010 Tri Nations Series |
70 | 28 August 2010 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 44β31 | ![]() | |
71 | 4 September 2010 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 39β41 | ![]() | |
72 | 23 July 2011 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 39β20 | ![]() |
2011 Tri Nations Series |
73 | 13 August 2011 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 9β14 | ![]() | |
74 | 9 October 2011 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington (New Zealand) | 9β11 | ![]() |
2011 Rugby World Cup |
75 | 8 September 2012 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 26β19 | ![]() |
2012 Rugby Championship |
76 | 29 September 2012 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 31β8 | ![]() | |
77 | 7 September 2013 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 12β38 | ![]() |
2013 Rugby Championship |
78 | 28 September 2013 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 28β8 | ![]() | |
79 | 6 September 2014 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 24β23 | ![]() |
2014 Rugby Championship |
80 | 27 September 2014 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 28β10 | ![]() | |
81 | 18 July 2015 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 24β20 | ![]() |
2015 Rugby Championship |
82 | 10 September 2016 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 23β17 | ![]() |
2016 Rugby Championship |
83 | 1 October 2016 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 18β10 | ![]() | |
84 | 9 September 2017 | Perth Oval, Perth | 23β23 | draw | 2017 Rugby Championship |
85 | 30 September 2017 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 27β27 | draw | |
86 | 8 September 2018 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 23β18 | ![]() |
2018 Rugby Championship |
87 | 29 September 2018 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 23β12 | ![]() | |
88 | 20 July 2019 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 35β17 | ![]() |
2019 Rugby Championship |
89 | 11 September 2021 | Robina Stadium, Gold Coast | 26β28 | ![]() |
2021 Rugby Championship |
90 | 18 September 2021 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 30β17 | ![]() | |
91 | 27 August 2022 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 25β17 | ![]() |
2022 Rugby Championship |
92 | 3 September 2022 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 8β24 | ![]() | |
93 | 8 July 2023 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 43β12 | ![]() |
2023 Rugby Championship |
94 | 10 August 2024 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 2024 Rugby Championship | ||
95 | 17 August 2024 | Perth Stadium, Perth |
XV resultsβ»
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.
Date | Venue | Score | Winner | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 July 1921 | University Oval, Sydney | 9β28 | ![]() |
1921 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
27 June 1921 | Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney | 11β16 | ![]() | |
25 June 1921 | Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney | 10β25 | ![]() |
List of seriesβ»
Played | Won by Australia |
Won by South Africa |
Drawn |
---|---|---|---|
10 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
Year | Australia | South Africa | Series winner |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
2 | 3 | ![]() |
![]() |
0 | 2 | ![]() |
![]() |
1 | 3 | ![]() |
![]() |
0 | 2 | ![]() |
![]() |
0 | 2 | ![]() |
![]() |
2 | 2 | draw |
![]() |
2 | 0 | ![]() |
![]() |
0 | 4 | ![]() |
![]() |
0 | 3 | ![]() |
![]() |
2 | 1 | ![]() |
See alsoβ»
Notesβ»
- ^ Match was relocated from the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. Despite the match venue being located in Australia, South Africa was nominally the home team.
Referencesβ»
- ^ "ESPNscrum Team Records". espnscrum.com. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ Pick and Go rugby archive Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine β select Wallabies and Boks.
- ^ National rugby unions