Wallabies vs Springboks recap: Australia stun world champions in 11-man chaos

Australia held on with 11 men in a dramatic finish to beat a second-string South Africa outfit 42-38 and extend their unbeaten run to five games since new coach Les Kiss took over in late July.

Skipper Harry Wilson, Ryan Lonergan, Joseph Suaalii and Hunter Paisami were all shown yellow cards in the last 10 minutes as the world champions cut a 25-point deficit down to four at the final whistle.

Australia had looked to be cruising after centre Len Ikitau's double and tries from flyhalf Ben Donaldson, number eight Wilson and winger Max Jorgensen combined with 17 points from the boot of scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan gave them a 42-17 lead after 65 minutes.

The last 10 minutes threatened to undo all their earlier good work, but the Wallabies will move on to back-to-back tests against the All Blacks in October without a loss in six games, their best unbeaten run since 2017.

"I'm so proud of the group," said Wilson. "We versed the world champions in our own backyard here. Jeez, that was a crazy last 10 minutes, but that first 70 minutes, the way we played, we implemented our game plan in exactly the way we wanted."

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus had made 13 changes to his lineup from the team which completed the gruelling 3-1 series victory over New Zealand earlier this month but stacked his bench with first-choice players as an insurance policy.

It almost paid off in the frantic last 10 minutes, but scores from hooker Johan Grobbelaar, winger Edwill van der Merwe, scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, prop Ox Nche as well as a penalty try were not quite enough.

"Australia is always a hard team to beat, and such a good game to play," said Springboks captain Andre Esterhuizen.

"It was a pretty intense game and quite quick for a test match, but they capitalised on all our errors, and I think discipline let us down, especially in that first half."

The visitors scored the first try after Handre Pollard and Lonergan had exchanged early penalties with Grobbelaar rolling over the line on the back of a rolling maul.

Australia responded with two tries from Ikitau in three minutes, the first from close range and the second after winger Suaalii had disrupted the restart and the ball bounced back to the lurking centre.

The Springboks responded almost immediately to lock up the scores again at 17-17, flyhalf Pollard's long pass exposing a hole in the Australian backline defence and Van der Merwe showing his pace to finish the move.

A slanted crosskick from Wallabies fullback Tom Wright gave Jorgensen some space to run shortly before halftime, however, and Australia recycled patiently when the winger was held up shy of the line with Donaldson going over unopposed in the corner after 14 phases.

Lonergan extended Australia's lead with his second penalty eight minutes into the second half, prompting Erasmus to bring on all eight of his replacements, and added a third three-pointer after 54 minutes to make it 30-17.

The Wallabies were now taking the Springboks on up front and tapped a penalty close to the line just before the hour mark with Wilson forcing his way over and slapping the ball down for a try.

The Springboks stormed back to try and cut the 20-point deficit but when Canan Moodie spilled the ball, Jorgensen was on hand to scoop it up and sprint 60 metres for Australia's fifth try.

What did we just witness?

The Wallabies will head into next month’s Bledisloe Cup series on a high after extending their unbeaten streak to six after hanging on to beat the Springboks 42-38 on a wild Sunday night in Perth.

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‘Circus’ as 11-man Wallabies cling on for absurd upset win

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is in dreamland after that crazy win.

“That was unreal. That was so special for our group. We’ve trained so hard over the last five, six weeks,” Suaalii tells Stan Sport.

“For a performance like that, we had 11 players on the field. For us to really dig deep and have such a great challenge against the South African team… it’s so special.”

“It was a crazy last 10 minutes,” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson tells Stan Sport.

“But that first 70 minutes, the way we played, we implemented our game plan. We did exactly what we wanted. We stepped up in the physical battle, and I’m so proud of the boys.

“It was always a challenge every time you take the field against the Springboks.”

Australia hung on for an extraordinary upset win over world champions South Africa 42-38 despite being reduced to 11 men against 15 for much of the last 10 minutes.

The Wallabies were leading 42-17 when Max Jorgensen swooped on a Springboks error and then sprinted 60m to score in the 64th minute but then lost four players to yellow cards in a dramatic finish as South Africa responded with three late tries.

Len Ikitau scored two tries in the first half as Australia took a 24-17 lead at halftime in the Springboks’ first Test since beating the All Blacks in the so-called Greatest Rivalry series.

The top-ranked Springboks made 13 changes to the starting lineup from their 43-28 win over the New Zealand All Blacks at Baltimore two weeks ago, with only lock Eben Etzebeth and winger Ethan Hooker retained their starting roles from the team that clinched the series 3-1.

Despite the overhaul, the South Africans jumped to a 10-3 lead after 10 minutes in Perth before the Australians rallied to take charge of the match until the dramatic last 10 minutes swung the momentum.

Good on you Harry.

A big weekend for the Brisbane Lions fan.

“I think it was a pretty intense game and quite quick for a Test match,” Springboks captain Andre Esterhuizen tells Stan Sport.

“But they capitalised on all our errors and I think discipline let us down, especially in that first half.

“We let them in too many times and that really hurt us.”

“There’s not even words to describe what happened just then,” Wallabies winger Max Jorgensen tells Stan Sport.

“It’s so out of the ordinary. Never seen anything like it.

“But so proud of the boys to put in that extra effort at the end, that serious care and fight that we always talk about down. We stuck in there and got the win.”