Australia vs South Africa LIVE: Rugby Championship result and final score as Wallabies beat Springboks

The Wallabies and Springboks met in Adelaide looking to bounce back from defeats last time out

Australia launch bid for 2027 Rugby World Cup

Australia bounced back from a humiliating loss in their last outing to beat world champions South Africa 25-17 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday to move to the top of the Rugby Championship standings.

Flanker Fraser McReight scored two tries and Man of the Match Marika Koroibete also crossed, with Noah Lolesio adding 10 points from the kicking tee in an assured performance at flyhalf.

The Springboks, looking for a first win over the Wallabies in Australia since 2013, besieged the home try line for lengthy periods, but Handre Pollard’s penalty was their only reward until Kwagga Smith scored two tries in the last five minutes.

Argentina, who topped the standings after thrashing Australia 48-17 in San Juan two weeks ago, take on the All Blacks in Christchurch in the second match of the round later on Saturday.

Rugby Championship live - Australia vs South Africa

• Australia take on South Africa in Adelaide in the third round of the Rugby Championship
• TRY! AUSTRALIA 7-0 South Africa (Fraser McReight try, 2 minutes)
• PENALTY! AUSTRALIA 10-0 South Africa (Noah Lolesio penalty, 7 minutes)
• PENALTY! Australia 10-3 SOUTH AFRICA (Handre Pollard penalty, 23 minutes)
• Yellow card! Tom Wright is sent to the sin bin! Australia 10-3 South Africa, 30 minutes
• Yellow card! Faf de Klerk is sent to the sin bin! Australia 10-3 South Africa, 40 minutes
• H/T: Australia 10-3 South Africa
• TRY! AUSTRALIA 15-3 South Africa (Marika Koroibete try, 47 minutes)
• TRY! AUSTRALIA 22-3 South Africa (Fraser McReight try, 57 minutes)
• PENALTY! AUSTRALIA 25-3 South Africa (Noah Lolesio penalty, 64 minutes)
• TRY! Australia 25-10 SOUTH AFRICA (Kwagga Smith try, 75 minutes)
• TRY! Australia 25-17 SOUTH AFRICA (Kwagga Smith try, 80 minutes)

[27 August 2022 07:49 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Australia 10-3 South Africa, 46 minutes

Sharp miss pass from Nic White and that is brilliant from Tom Wright! The right wing puts his foot down, out-gassing Makazole Mapimpi, and keeps the movement alive with a back-door offload to Reece Hodge...

[27 August 2022 07:47 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Australia 10-3 South Africa, 45 minutes

Solid enough from both sides. Warrick Gelant covers scrum-half with Faf de Klerk still on the naughty step for the next five minutes, which means there should be backfield space - Noah Lolesio kicks for it, but can’t get the angle right, allowing Damian Willemse to stide back over his line and ground for a goalline drop out.

[27 August 2022 07:46 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Australia 10-3 South Africa, 44 minutes

South Africa again disrupt Australia’s lineout, and pick up the scraps at the back to earn them the ball. A high kick is fumbled from two sets of hands - first South African, then Australian - and South Africa’s new front row will have their first crack at the Australian scrum.

[27 August 2022 07:45 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Australia 10-3 South Africa, 42 minutes

A cagey start to the second half, with Australia playing the percentages with the boot. They’ve got a bit of a gusting wind behind them, which propels Noah Lolesio’s kick down towards the goalposts, with Handre Pollard trotting back to pick up and climb into a clearance.

[27 August 2022 07:43 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Second half begins!

Reece Hodge claims the second half restart and we are back underway.

South Africa have brought on both Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff - Joseph Dweba and Ox Nche have not re-emerged.

[27 August 2022 07:41 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

H/T: Australia 10-3 South Africa

Australia were probably a little fortunate to only lose Tom Wright in that half. They were on a team warning at the time that Wright was sin binned, but the cynical nature in which he tackled Duane Vermeulen after the number eight’s quick tap merited a card regardless, and there is an argument that the Wallabies’ continued infringements the next time South Africa were in their territory should have prompted another card rather than a second warning.

The question of whether arms were used in Marika Koroibete’s cover tackle on Makazole Mapimpi also appears to have provoked some debate. I thought there was maybe just enough of a wrap...

(Getty Images)

[27 August 2022 07:34 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

H/T: Australia 10-3 South Africa

A frustrating half for South Africa, further infuriated by that very, very soft yellow for Faf de Klerk on the stroke of half-time. Australia started fast, striking inside 90 seconds through Fraser McReight, and have since clung on gamely defensively, just about holding out with some vital interventions from McReight and Marika Koroibete particularly.

South Africa may rue their decision to turn down a couple of kickable penalties, though Handre Pollard also missed two from the tee. The Springboks need to keep their heads - they have had physical dominance and the Wallabies have been in disciplinary trouble.

[27 August 2022 07:27 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

HALF TIME! AUSTRALIA 10-3 SOUTH AFRICA

(Getty Images)

[27 August 2022 07:27 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Yellow card! Faf de Klerk is sent to the sin bin! Australia 10-3 South Africa, 40 minutes

It’s yellow! Faf de Klerk cannot believe it, a stunned, bemused exhale as Paul Williams reaches into his pocket. There was head contact, but that was all very tame, the connection slight and probably only picked up after a not out-of-character bit of play-acting from Nic White.

Siya Kolisi argues his case but Williams won’t be convinced to reconsider. Off goes De Klerk after a clumsy little slap, shaking his head all the way to the sin bin.

[27 August 2022 07:25 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Australia 10-3 South Africa, 39 minutes

Nic White goes down to his knees clutching at his face after catching a straight hand to the right cheek from Faf de Klerk. I think the scrum-half was slapping at the ball rather than his opposite number - but TMO Brendon Pickerill wants a look...