Australia managed to cling onto a 42‑38 victory over South Africa in Perth on Sunday, even though they were reduced to eleven players for the closing minutes of the match. The Wallabies endured four yellow‑card dismissals in the final eleven minutes, yet they held on to a narrow eleven‑point lead and saw out the game with a shrunken side. The officiating drama was a story in itself. Italian referee Andrea Piardi found himself reaching for his pocket on four separate occasions within an eight‑minute window.
At one point the communication system between the referee and his television match official broke down, prompting Piardi to place a call on his mobile phone while the Springboks were mounting a rapid comeback that saw them erase a 25‑point deficit and close the gap to just four points. The first dismissal came in the 69th minute when Harry Wilson was shown a yellow card for a high tackle after the on‑field review confirmed the infringement. Just two minutes later, Ryan Lonergan was sent to the sin‑bin for diving into the back of a ruck, an offence that resulted in a penalty try awarded to South Africa for a professional foul. The third card was shown to Joseph‑Aukuso Suaalii after a video review determined he was offside when a Springboks try had initially been ruled out.
Finally, Hunter Paisami received a yellow card for a high tackle in the build‑up to a Tom Wright interception try, a score that was itself overturned. That interception would have taken the Wallabies to a 47‑31 lead in the 76th minute, but the decision was reversed, leaving the score at 42‑31.
With those four players off the field, Australia were forced to defend an eleven‑point advantage with only eleven men for the remaining four minutes. Replacement prop Ox Nche entered the fray in the dying seconds and managed to score, narrowing the margin to four points. South Africa had one final surge before the final whistle, but time ran out and the Wallabies emerged victorious.
"It was a crazy last ten minutes," Wilson reflected after the match. "But in the first 70 minutes we executed our game plan exactly as we intended. We did what we set out to do." Head coach Les Kiss, who has now won all five of his Tests in charge, described the ending as "bizarre".
He added, "In those moments you have to keep your nerve, stay focused on what you want to achieve, and I think the players did just that. But we must not forget the first 60 minutes – that was a crucial step up for us. We controlled the game, attacked bravely, and set the tone for the win." South Africa had started the match strongly.
Goal‑kicker Johan Grobbelaar converted a try and Handre Pollard added a penalty, giving the Springboks a 10‑3 lead inside the opening ten minutes. However, centre Len Ikitau turned the tide for the hosts, crossing the line in the 23rd minute and again in the 27th.
Although Edwill van der Merwe scored for South Africa just before the half‑hour mark, Ben Donaldson's try before the break put Australia ahead 24‑17. In the second half, Wilson added a fourth try for the Wallabies, and Max Jorgensen capitalised on a Springboks error, sprinting 60 metres to score in the 64th minute, extending the lead to 42‑17. The Springboks, fresh off their 3‑1 series win over New Zealand in the "Greatest Rivalry" and a 43‑28 triumph over the All Blacks in Baltimore two weeks earlier, made 13 changes to the side that beat New Zealand. Only veteran lock Eben Etzebeth and rising star Ethan Hooker retained their places.
Springboks captain Andre Esterhuizen admitted the lack of discipline cost his team dearly. "They capitalised on all our errors and I think discipline let us down, especially in that first half.
We gave them too many opportunities and that really hurt us," he said. Lonergan finished the match as the top scorer for Australia, contributing 17 points from four conversions and three penalty goals.
His reliable boot helped Australia maintain the cushion while the defense weathered the late onslaught. The match will be remembered not just for the narrow scoreline but for the chaotic conclusion that saw the Wallabies defend with a reduced squad and still emerge triumphant.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Les Kiss, who has now secured five consecutive Test wins, and it showcases Australia's resilience and ability to execute a game plan under pressure. For South Africa, the defeat highlighted issues with discipline and the challenges of integrating a largely new lineup, despite their impressive recent performances against New Zealand.
The game served as a vivid reminder that in rugby, momentum can shift dramatically, and maintaining composure in the final minutes can be the difference between victory and defeat.