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Wallabies beat Springboks 42-38 to win Mandela Plate

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 10:50 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Wallabies Defeat Springboks

The Wallabies defeated the Springboks 42-38 in Perth, winning the Mandela Challenge Plate.
The win lifted Australia to sixth in World Rugby rankings, overtaking Scotland.
Coach Les Kiss recorded his fifth straight test win, maintaining an unbeaten record.
Four Wallabies – Wilson, Lonergan, Suaalii, Paisami – received yellow cards, leaving the side with eleven players.
Referee Andrea Piardi used a mobile phone to contact the TMO after his communication system failed.

Summary

Ikitau Resumes Centre

Wallabies lock centre partnership for 2027 Rugby World Cup, pairing Paisami with Ikitau.
Ikitau, 2025 Wallabies Player of the Year, resumes outside centre after missing it since Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals.
Ben Valetini, John Eales Medalist, ranks second for tackles and ties for second in carries before 50-minute substitution.
Ben Donaldson starts at fly-half for first time in two Tests, scores first-half try after 14-phase build-up.

History

Historical Context

South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup from 25 May to 24 June, the first major sport event after apartheid and the last of rugby’s amateur era, featuring 16 nations, 32 matches, and a 15-12 final win over New Zealand at Ellis Park. That triumph, highlighted by Nelson Mandela’s presentation, still shapes today’s Australia-South Africa test rivalry.

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Wallabies Defeat Springboks

The Wallabies defeated the Springboks 42-38 in Perth, winning the Mandela Challenge Plate.
The win lifted Australia to sixth in World Rugby rankings, overtaking Scotland.
Coach Les Kiss recorded his fifth straight test win, maintaining an unbeaten record.
Four Wallabies – Wilson, Lonergan, Suaalii, Paisami – received yellow cards, leaving the side with eleven players.
Referee Andrea Piardi used a mobile phone to contact the TMO after his communication system failed.

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