# History of rugby union matches between Australia and South Africa

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The contest between The Wallabies and The Springboks is one of the major rivalries in rugby union. Since 2000s, the two 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 17–3 by South Africa who also won that first series 3–2.
South Africa has a 53.8% winning record against Australia, and before the era of sporting boycotts, dominated the early encounters up to 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 tours to Australia, and were undefeated in three of them. South Africa won three of the five test series they played in Australia; 2–0 in 1937, 2-0 in 1956 and 3–0 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In the professional era, extended tours of each country have been replaced by participation in an annual series involving the top teams of the Southern Hemisphere.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 Cup

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 27–18, going on to win the cup. In 1999 Australia knocked South Africa out of the competition in a semi-final at Twickenham, winning 27–21, after extra-time. In 2011, Australia again knocked South Africa out of the competition, in a quarter-final at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, winning 11–9.

## Summary
### Overall

| Details | Played | Won by Australia | Won by South Africa | Drawn | Australia points | South Africa points |
| In Australia | 45 | 28 | 15 | 2 | 952 | 789 |
| In South Africa | 48 | 10 | 37 | 1 | 682 | 1,104 |
| Neutral venue | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 30 |
| Overall | 95 | 40 | 52 | 3 | 1,672 | 1,923 |

### Records

Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.
| Record | Australia | South Africa |
| Longest winning streak | 5 (4 September 2010 – 29 September 2012) | 7 (19 September 1953 – 10 August 1963; 2 August 1969 – 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, 10 August 2024) |
| Largest aggregate score |||
| 83 (South Africa 61–22 Australia) (23 August 1997) |||

## Results

| No. | Date | Venue | Score | Winner | Competition |
| 1 | 8 July 1933 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 17–3 | South Africa | 1933 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 2 | 22 July 1933 | Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban | 6–21 | Australia | 1933 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 3 | 12 August 1933 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 12–3 | South Africa | 1933 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 4 | 26 August 1933 | St George's Park, Port Elizabeth | 11–0 | South Africa | 1933 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 5 | 2 September 1933 | Springbok Park, Bloemfontein | 4–15 | Australia | 1933 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 6 | 26 June 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 5–9 | South Africa | 1937 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 7 | 17 July 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 17–26 | South Africa | 1937 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 8 | 22 August 1953 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 25–3 | South Africa | 1953 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 9 | 5 September 1953 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 14–18 | Australia | 1953 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 10 | 19 September 1953 | Kingsmead, Durban | 18–8 | South Africa | 1953 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 11 | 26 September 1953 | St George's Park, Port Elizabeth | 22–9 | South Africa | 1953 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 12 | 26 May 1956 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 0–9 | South Africa | 1956 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 13 | 2 June 1956 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane | 0–9 | South Africa | 1956 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 14 | 5 August 1961 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 28–3 | South Africa | 1961 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 15 | 12 August 1961 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 23–11 | South Africa | 1961 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 16 | 13 July 1963 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 14–3 | South Africa | 1963 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 17 | 10 August 1963 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 5–9 | Australia | 1963 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 18 | 24 August 1963 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 9–11 | Australia | 1963 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 19 | 7 September 1963 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 22–6 | South Africa | 1963 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 20 | 19 June 1965 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 18–11 | Australia | 1965 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 21 | 26 June 1965 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 12–8 | Australia | 1965 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 22 | 2 August 1969 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 30–11 | South Africa | 1969 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 23 | 16 August 1969 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 16–9 | South Africa | 1969 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 24 | 6 September 1969 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 11–3 | South Africa | 1969 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 25 | 20 September 1969 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 19–8 | South Africa | 1969 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 26 | 17 July 1971 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 11–19 | South Africa | 1971 South Africa tour of Australia |
| 27 | 31 July 1971 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane | 6–14 | South Africa | 1971 South Africa tour of Australia |
| 28 | 7 August 1971 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 6–18 | South Africa | 1971 South Africa tour of Australia |
| 29 | 29 August 1992 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 3–26 | Australia | 1992 Australia tour of South Africa |
| 30 | 31 July 1993 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 12–19 | South Africa | 1993 South Africa tour of Australia |
| 31 | 14 August 1993 | Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane | 28–20 | Australia | 1993 South Africa tour of Australia |
| 32 | 21 August 1993 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 19–12 | Australia | 1993 South Africa tour of Australia |
| 33 | 25 May 1995 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 18–27 | South Africa | 1995 Rugby World Cup |
| 34 | 13 July 1996 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 21–16 | Australia | 1996 Tri Nations Series |
| 35 | 3 August 1996 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfentein | 25–19 | South Africa | 1996 Tri Nations Series |
| 36 | 2 August 1997 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 32–20 | Australia | 1997 Tri Nations Series |
| 37 | 23 August 1997 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 61–22 | South Africa | 1997 Tri Nations Series |
| 38 | 18 July 1998 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 13–14 | South Africa | 1998 Tri Nations Series |
| 39 | 22 August 1998 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 29–15 | South Africa | 1998 Tri Nations Series |
| 40 | 17 July 1999 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 32–6 | Australia | 1999 Tri Nations Series |
| 41 | 14 August 1999 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 10–9 | South Africa | 1999 Tri Nations Series |
| 42 | 30 October 1999 | Twickenham Stadium, London (England) | 27–21 | Australia | 1999 Rugby World Cup |
| 43 | 8 July 2000 | Docklands Stadium, Melbourne | 44–23 | Australia | 2000 Summer International |
| 44 | 29 July 2000 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 26–6 | Australia | 2000 Tri Nations Series |
| 45 | 26 August 2000 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 18–19 | Australia | 2000 Tri Nations Series |
| 46 | 28 July 2001 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 20–15 | South Africa | 2001 Tri Nations Series |
| 47 | 18 August 2001 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 14–14 | draw | 2001 Tri Nations Series |
| 48 | 27 July 2002 | Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane | 38–27 | Australia | 2002 Tri Nations Series |
| 49 | 17 August 2002 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 33–31 | South Africa | 2002 Tri Nations Series |
| 50 | 12 July 2003 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 26–22 | South Africa | 2003 Tri Nations Series |
| 51 | 2 August 2003 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 29–9 | Australia | 2003 Tri Nations Series |
| 52 | 31 July 2004 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 30–26 | Australia | 2004 Tri Nations Series |
| 53 | 21 August 2004 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 23–19 | South Africa | 2004 Tri Nations Series |
| 54 | 9 July 2005 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 30–12 | Australia | 2005 Summer International |
| 55 | 23 July 2005 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 33–20 | South Africa | 2005 Summer International |
| 56 | 30 July 2005 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 22–16 | South Africa | 2005 Tri Nations Series |
| 57 | 20 August 2005 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 19–22 | South Africa | 2005 Tri Nations Series |
| 58 | 15 July 2006 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 49–0 | Australia | 2006 Tri Nations Series |
| 59 | 5 August 2006 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 20–18 | Australia | 2006 Tri Nations Series |
| 60 | 9 September 2006 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 24–16 | South Africa | 2006 Tri Nations Series |
| 61 | 16 June 2007 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 22–19 | South Africa | 2007 Tri Nations Series |
| 62 | 7 July 2007 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 25–17 | Australia | 2007 Tri Nations Series |
| 63 | 19 July 2008 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 16–9 | Australia | 2008 Tri Nations Series |
| 64 | 23 August 2008 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 15–27 | Australia | 2008 Tri Nations Series |
| 65 | 30 August 2008 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 53–8 | South Africa | 2008 Tri Nations Series |
| 66 | 8 August 2009 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 29–17 | South Africa | 2009 Tri Nations Series |
| 67 | 29 August 2009 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 25–32 | South Africa | 2009 Tri Nations Series |
| 68 | 5 September 2009 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 21–6 | Australia | 2009 Tri Nations Series |
| 69 | 24 July 2010 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 30–13 | Australia | 2010 Tri Nations Series |
| 70 | 28 August 2010 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 44–31 | South Africa | 2010 Tri Nations Series |
| 71 | 4 September 2010 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 39–41 | Australia | 2010 Tri Nations Series |
| 72 | 23 July 2011 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 39–20 | Australia | 2011 Tri Nations Series |
| 73 | 13 August 2011 | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | 9–14 | Australia | 2011 Tri Nations Series |
| 74 | 9 October 2011 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington (New Zealand) | 9–11 | Australia | 2011 Rugby World Cup |
| 75 | 8 September 2012 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 26–19 | Australia | 2012 Rugby Championship |
| 76 | 29 September 2012 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 31–8 | South Africa | 2012 Rugby Championship |
| 77 | 7 September 2013 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 12–38 | South Africa | 2013 Rugby Championship |
| 78 | 28 September 2013 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 28–8 | South Africa | 2013 Rugby Championship |
| 79 | 6 September 2014 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 24–23 | Australia | 2014 Rugby Championship |
| 80 | 27 September 2014 | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | 28–10 | South Africa | 2014 Rugby Championship |
| 81 | 18 July 2015 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 24–20 | Australia | 2015 Rugby Championship |
| 82 | 10 September 2016 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 23–17 | Australia | 2016 Rugby Championship |
| 83 | 1 October 2016 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 18–10 | South Africa | 2016 Rugby Championship |
| 84 | 9 September 2017 | Perth Oval, Perth | 23–23 | draw | 2017 Rugby Championship |
| 85 | 30 September 2017 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 27–27 | draw | 2017 Rugby Championship |
| 86 | 8 September 2018 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 23–18 | Australia | 2018 Rugby Championship |
| 87 | 29 September 2018 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 23–12 | South Africa | 2018 Rugby Championship |
| 88 | 20 July 2019 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | 35–17 | South Africa | 2019 Rugby Championship |
| 89 | 11 September 2021 | Robina Stadium, Gold Coast | 26–28 | Australia | 2021 Rugby Championship |
| 90 | 18 September 2021 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 30–17 | Australia | 2021 Rugby Championship |
| 91 | 27 August 2022 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 25–17 | Australia | 2022 Rugby Championship |
| 92 | 3 September 2022 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 8–24 | South Africa | 2022 Rugby Championship |
| 93 | 8 July 2023 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria | 43–12 | South Africa | 2023 Rugby Championship |
| 94 | 10 August 2024 | Lang Park, Brisbane | 7–33 | South Africa | 2024 Rugby Championship |
| 95 | 17 August 2024 | Perth Stadium, Perth | 12–30 | South Africa | 2024 Rugby Championship |

## XV results

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 | 9–28 | South Africa XV | 1921 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 27 June 1921 | Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney | 11–16 | South Africa XV | 1921 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |
| 25 June 1921 | Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney | 10–25 | South Africa XV | 1921 South Africa tour of Australia and New Zealand |

## List of series

| Played | Won by Australia | Won by South Africa | Drawn |
| 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Year | Australia | South Africa | Series winner |
| 1933 | 2 | 3 | South Africa |
| 1937 | 0 | 2 | South Africa |
| 1953 | 1 | 3 | South Africa |
| 1956 | 0 | 2 | South Africa |
| 1961 | 0 | 2 | South Africa |
| 1963 | 2 | 2 | draw |
| 1965 | 2 | 0 | Australia |
| 1969 | 0 | 4 | South Africa |
| 1971 | 0 | 3 | South Africa |
| 1993 | 2 | 1 | Australia |