Rugby union 2026: Australia Wallabies def South Africa Springboks after four late sin bins, video, live scores andhighlights, latest news

The Wallabies have survived to win the most chaotic Test match in history.

This was a script only the most macabre writer could conjure, as Australia saw a 42-17 lead against world champions South Africa disintegrate to a 42-38 margin with seconds on the clock.

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As the Springboks desperately sought a match-winning play on the siren, a runner obstructing the Wallabies defence was pinged by referee Oscar Piardi, and the drama was finally finished.

In a crazy final 11 minutes, the Wallabies were at one stage playing with 11 against 15 after yellow cards to Harry Wilson Ryan Lonergan, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Hunter Paisami.

Piardi, who lost communications and had to use a mobile phone to talk to the television match officials, pinged the four for various infringements, sparking what could have been the greatest comeback of all time.

MATCH CENTRE: Wallabies vs Springboks stats and more

Tom Wright and his teammates believed they’d sealed the deal when he intercepted a pass and raced 30 metres for a 76th minute try that would have made it 49-31.

But it was called back for a Hunter Paisami high tackle on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

The Boks went downfield and Ox Nche powered over in the 80th, with the score back to within four points as the 54,678 in Perth’s Optus Stadium scrambled to make sense of what was unfolding.

Halfback Morne van den Berg had scored on the back of another dominant scrum shove to make it 42-31 with five minutes on the clock, which followed a scrum penalty try in the 72nd that saw Lonergan binned.

Suaalii was off the next minute for offside.

But the home side found a way to hang on.

Coach Les Kiss remains undefeated after five Tests in charge of the Wallabies.

But by any measure this was the match where the team’s development would truly show, against the world No.1 team in South Africa.

How many teams have started dreaming of putting 50 points on the Springboks before?

With the Wallabies up 42-17 with 15 minutes left to play, the fans started wondering if it could really happen.

What a turnaround this has been for a side too often used to blowing leads, starting games asleep, or simply gifting results to opponents with errors.

Not here.

When it was time to fight fire with fire, the Wallabies brought a flamethrower.

Len Ikitau, before an ill-fated foot injury, showed why he is one of the game’s premier outside centre, putting on a masterclass until he limped off in the second half.

Suaalii, in his first start on the wing, had his moments, while on the opposite edge Max Jorgensen did “Jorgo” things, including a runaway 45-metre try that had 54,678 in raptures – or disbelief if wearing green.

With lineout caller Josh Canham a late withdrawal two days prior to the game, Jeremy Williams was outstanding not only as replacement caller but in general play.

Early in the second half, Williams forced a maul turnover and then stole a lineout within the space of minutes.

Lonergan was masterful, controlling the ruck and nailing nearly every goal-kick to ensure tried turned into sevens and penalties kept the scoreboard pressure on.

Australia’s scrum largely stood up, up until the highly vaunted Bomb Squad asserted dominance with 10 minutes remaining, winning a pushover penalty try that also saw Lonergan sin-binned alongside Wilson.

With little over one year until the opening World Cup match at this venue, when the Wallabies host Hong Kong China, the trajectory is exciting for Australian rugby.

They still have their issues to sort, of course.

There were spilled balls, they must continue to build their playmaking depth, and the final 11 minutes will silently haunt them.

But knocking over the back-to-back world champions twice in a year, firstly in Johannesburg last August, and now here, tells the story of a ship turning course.

Australia led 24-17 at half-time following a back-and-forth slugfest.

The second half was one-way traffic until the final 10 minutes.

Two tries in three minutes by Ikitau turned the game’s momentum sharply midway through the first half.

A penalty for ruck interference allowed Lonergan to kick his fifth goal of the night in the 48th, giving Australia a 27-27 lead.

South Africa immediately unleashed their entire Bomb Squad of Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Jasper Wiese, van den Berg, Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Quan Horn all in one go.

Another Lonergan penalty in the 54th extended the lead to 30-17, but Ikitau hobbled off after injuring his ankle, putting Suaalii back in the centres with Harry Potter coming onto the wing.

Wilson put a foot in touch attempting a try in the 59th minute, but the Wallabies were on penalty advantage and took a quick tap. Less than 60 seconds later, Wilson had his try, picking from the base of the ruck with two hands and slamming the ball down over the top of the Boks defenders.

At 37-17 with 19 minutes remaining, the Wallabies could not have dreamed of a better final quarter scenario.

When Moodie dropped the ball just inside his half, Jorgensen pounced and raced away for a sensational 45-metre try, ticking the scoreboard over to an astounding 42-17.

Then nearly everything that could go wrong did.

But losing this would have been truly devastating.

Instead, they must use this as a springboard for harsh lessons, and bigger wins to come.