Everything To Know About South Africa Vs. Australia In Rugby Championship
Everything To Know About South Africa Vs. Australia In Rugby Championship
South Africa Rugby hosts the Wallabies for the first two rounds of the 2025 Rugby Championship starting Aug. 16. Here's what to know.
Someone has to face the Springboks first in The Rugby Championship — and the Wallabies might be the most ready to do it.
To kick off The Rugby Championship, Australia moves from a three-match series against the British and Irish Lions to back-to-back matches against the No. 1-ranked South Africa Springboks in South Africa.
Australia, led by outgoing coach Joe Schmidt, has improved since the struggles of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Despite suffering the worst loss in their history last year, the Wallabies rebounded from a poor Rugby Championship to post a solid showing in the Autumn Nations.
With star Will Skelton back after an injury-plagued 2024, Australia could be one of the toughest teams in the competition - outside of the Springboks, of course.
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South Africa has held the No. 1 spot in the world since New Zealand beat Ireland in the Autumn Nations.
The Springboks opened 2025 with ease, sweeping Italy in two matches, before defeating Rugby Europe champion Georgia to close July.
Here’s what to know about the South Africa vs. Australia matchup in the first round of The Rugby Championship:
When Is South Africa Vs. Australia Rugby 2025?
There are two matches in The Rugby Championship between South Africa and Australia, and they are each team's first two rounds of the competition.
South Africa Vs. Australia, Rugby Championship Round 1: Aug. 16
The opening match of the Rugby Championship is at Ellis Park, or now known as Emirates Airline Park, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The match kicks off at 11:10 a.m. Eastern.
South Africa Vs. Australia, Rugby Championship Round 2: Aug. 23
The second match of the series is at 11:10 a.m. ET at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
How To Watch South Africa Rugby Vs. Australia In The 2025 Rugby Championship
The match is streaming live in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
Match archives, replays and breaking news will be on both platforms.
South Africa Vs. Australia Lineups
Here are the lineups for the first match:
South Africa Rugby Lineup Vs. Australia
Starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi; 14 Edwill van der Merwe; 13 Jesse Kriel; 12 Andre Esterhuizen; 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Manie Libbok; 9 Grant Williams; 8 Siya Kolisi (captain); 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit; 6 Marco van Staden; 5 Lood de Jager; 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Wilco Louw; 2 Malcolm Marx; 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi; 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels; 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye; 19 Franco Mostert; 20 Kwagga Smith; 21 Cobus Reinach; 22 Canan Moodie; 23 Damian Willemse.
Australia Rugby Lineup Vs. South Africa
The Wallabies haven't named a starting XV for the first match as of Aug. 12, but here is the team they have brought to South Africa.
Your 35 to tour South Africa for the @flightcentreau Rugby Championship 🦘https://t.co/NPBJ98yXHQ#Wallabies pic.twitter.com/SgmKDGApJ4
— Wallabies (@wallabies) August 7, 2025
Springboks Have Shined In Johannesburg
South Africa has won six of its last seven tests in Johannesburg, including two comeback victories after trailing at halftime.
Overall, the Springboks have won seven straight tests, scoring 40 or more points in each of their last four — a feat matched only twice in the last decade (Georgia in 2025 and Namibia in 2018).
Springboks Looking For Nine Wins In Row Vs. Wallabies
South Africa is unbeaten in its last eight tests against Australia on home soil (seven wins, one draw) and hasn’t lost to the Wallabies there since 2011.
The 43-12 victory in their most recent home meeting was the Springboks' biggest win against Australia since 2008 and their third-largest ever.
In Johannesburg, the history is almost flawless — the Springboks have won their last seven against the Wallabies there, with a narrow 11-9 loss in August 1963 standing as their only home defeat to Australia in the city.
The Rugby Championship 2025 Schedule
Aug. 16
Aug. 23
Sept. 6
Sept. 13
Sept. 27
Oct. 4
How To Watch The Rugby Championship 2025
In the United States, rugby fans can watch 2025 The Rugby Championship on FloRugby and the FloSports App.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.