Wallabies put unbeaten run on line against world No 1 Springboks in Perth
Australia will host South Africa at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday 27 September, with the seventh-ranked Wallabies putting a four-Test unbeaten run under head coach Les Kiss on the line against the world No 1 Springboks The Guardian.
The venue and date were confirmed by Rugby Australia, with the fixture listed for a 5:30pm start in Perth Rugby Australia. South Africa flew into Sydney on the Wednesday before 18 September to begin preparations for the trip west.
Kiss has not played down the task. He said facing the Springboks was a massive opportunity and that Australia would not shy away and would take it on. He also warned earlier in September that playing South Africa will be a step up in intensity for the Wallabies Reuters.
Australia’s run gives the home crowd reason for hope. The Wallabies edged Japan 35-32 in August, then drew 28-28 with Argentina in the second Test in early September The Guardian. In early September they were chasing a fifth straight win under Kiss, and the records show they beat South Africa in 2025, the year before this Test.
The rankings tell another story. South Africa arrived in Sydney having won three straight matches against New Zealand’s All Blacks. Australia, by contrast, had not beaten the All Blacks since 2020.
There is history here for Kiss too. He served as South Africa’s defence coach in 2001-02 before building his career in Australia and Europe. In August he set a public goal of building two starting-quality sides to cope with injuries and a long international season Reuters. He said in early September that the team had been heading in the right direction, a view backed publicly by his players.
Selection has been bold. Veterans James O’Connor and Bernard Foley, both fly-halves — the playmakers who direct the attack — were left out of the squad for the Springboks Test and told to focus on Super Rugby, the southern hemisphere club competition The Guardian.
What makes this stand out is the contrast in momentum. Australia are improving and hard to beat. South Africa are the benchmark. That is the challenge Perth will measure.
