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 05:58 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Team News - South Africa

Jacques Nienaber makes two alterations to his South African side, with Faf de Klerk fit to start again after missing the second encounter with New Zealand due to a brain injury. He replaces Jaden Hendrikse in the starting side.

Warrick Gelant should add plenty of play-making threat on the right wing as he steps in for Jesse Kriel, but there is no Willie Le Roux in the matchday 23, with Frans Steyn preferred as bench back cover alongside Elton Jantjes.

Joseph Dweba is backed at hooker - Malcolm Marx continues in his destructive bench role.

South Africa XV: O Nche, J Dweba, F Malherbe; E Etzebeth, L de Jager; S Kolisi, P-S du Toit, D Vermeulen; F de Klerk, H Pollard; M Mapimpi, D de Allende, L Am, W Gelant; D Willemse.

[27 August 2022 05:53 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Team News - Australia

Hosts Australia makes six changes. Noah Lolesio starts at fly-half for the first time since the series defeat to England, while the back three is reshaped, with Tom Wright pushed to the right wing and Reece Hodge promoted to the starting side. Allan Alaalatoa joins Folau Fainga’a and captain James Slipper in the front row, with Taniela Tupou withheld to make an impact from the bench. Matt Philip gets the nod ahead of Darcy Swan in the engine room, while its a forward-heavy 6:2 bench.

Australia XV: J Slipper, F Fainga’a, Allan Alaalatoa; Rory Arnold, M Philip; J Holloway, F McReight, R Valetini; N White, N Lolesio; M Koroibete, H Paisami, L Ikitau, T Wright; R Hodge.

Replacements: D Porecki, S Sio, T Tupou, D Swain, R Leota, P Samu; T McDermott, A Kellaway.

[27 August 2022 05:47 · Luke Baker]

Is Australia vs South Africa on TV? Start time, channel and how to watch Rugby Championship fixture

Australia will take on South Africa in the Rugby Championship on Saturday and the Springboks suffered a travel inconvenience when their original flight to the country was cancelled.

So far in the tournament both teams have won one match and lost the other, so everything is to play for. Among all the selection news and buzz around the match, Australia’s press conference also focused on former New Zealand star Tawera Kerr-Barlow switching allegiances to the Wallabies.

Kerr-Barlow is eligible to play after World Rugby changed rules around international representation. He was born in Melbourne and has 29 caps for New Zealand but he hasn’t played for the All Blacks since 2017.

Here’s all you need to know about the game:

[27 August 2022 05:28 · Luke Baker]

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the third round of the Rugby Championship - which starts with Australia facing South Africa in Adelaide.

So far in the tournament, both teams have won one match and lost the other in what is shaping up to be the tightest championship in years. The Springboks went down to a resurgent New Zealand in Round Two, while the Wallabies suffered their record defeat to Argentina in the form of a 48-17 pumping.

South Africa also suffered travel inconvenience this week as a delayed fight to Australia saw them arrive later than planned but coach Jacques Nienaber said: “The players rested well on the plane, and everyone is excited to be in Australia and looking forward to our two Tests against the Wallabies. I must commend our operational staff for the swift manner in which they dealt with the cancellation of our original flight and for making things as simple as possible for the team to hop onto the next available flight.”

The Springboks haven’t won a Test in Australia since 2013 but will be desperate to break that duck. Stay with us for liver coverage of the contest.