The Aporia · Test Rugby LIVE: Can the Wallabies upset the world champion Springboks again?

Test Rugby LIVE: Can the Wallabies upset the world champion Springboks again?

Read the original at The Sydney Morning Herald ↗

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Payten, I. (2026, September 27). Test Rugby LIVE: Can the Wallabies upset the world champion Springboks again? The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/test-rugby-live-can-the-wallabies-upset-the-world-champion-springboks-again-20260927-p610u9.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

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Quick Summary

Iain Payten welcomes readers to live coverage of an upcoming rugby match between Australia's Wallabies and South Africa’s Springboks in Perth at Optus Stadium. The Springboks, ranked first globally and recent winners of two Rugby World Cups, face a changed lineup from their series against New Zealand but still remain favorites despite the Wallabies' home advantage. Notably, the Wallabies have previously upset the Springboks in Johannesburg last year, giving them some confidence heading into tonight’s game.

Written by AI on 2026-09-27, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On Sunday, September 27, Australia will host South Africa at Perth Stadium in a one-off rugby test. The Wallabies enter this match unbeaten in their last five Test matches with four wins and one draw but face a formidable opponent in the reigning world champions. Coach Les Kiss has made significant changes to the lineup by shifting star player Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from his usual position to play on the left wing, allowing Len Ikitau to return to outside center for the first time since November 2024.

Meanwhile, South Africa's team features numerous alterations following their dominant series win over New Zealand. Only two players—lock Eben Etzebeth and winger Ethan Hooker—are retaining their starting positions from that series finale in Baltimore. The Springboks’ bench is packed with world-class talent capable of turning the tide of the match, including Jasper Wiese and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Despite these changes, South Africa's depth remains a significant advantage, particularly given the potential impact of their powerful reserve players who can disrupt fatigued opponents. The match promises to be an exciting contest between two strong teams with contrasting strategies and player dynamics. Perth, known for its large expatriate South African community, is expected to see another enthusiastic turnout at the stadium.

Written for “Rugby Test Between Australia And Sout…” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 15 other(s) covering the same event.

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takes no side on a contested political question

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61/100

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Running correction rate · 15 correction(s)

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Who wrote this

Iain Payten

26 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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🔮 And if you want to know what might unfold if the tense negotiations can’t produce a deal, the playbook of NRL players in their bitter CBA dispute in 2023 is a good starting point.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Pay war threatens to get ugly as deadline looms

🔮 Twenty-seven years after his old man helped Australia win its last Rugby World Cup, rising Waratahs halfback Teddy Wilson has been named in his first Wallabies squad and will tour the UK next month.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Son of Wallabies legend named in spring tour squad

🔮 Star flanker Fraser McReight says the Wallabies will embark on the spring tour bruised but still armed with belief, having taken harsh lessons from a one-sided Bledisloe Cup campaign and knowing they won’t face any sides in the UK with the same attacking potency as the All Blacks.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Northern rivals aren’t the All Blacks: Why bruised Wallabies still have spring tour belief

🔮 Rennie coached New Zealand to a win over his old side last weekend in Auckland, and will lead them on Australian soil for the first time on Saturday in the second Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · ‘We didn’t share the same values’: Rennie breaks long silence on his Wallabies axing

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🔮 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has lauded the skills of his former Roosters teammate Mark Nawaqanitawase and said he hopes the flyer will rejoin the Wallabies as early as next month on the spring tour.

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🔮 The Wallabies will be without star centre Len Ikitau for the second Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney on Saturday, but a three-week delay in World Rugby outlawing hip drop tackles is set to help key backrower Rob Valetini avoid a potential suspension that could have even stretched into the team’s spring tour of Europe.

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2026-10-09 · assertive framing · Ellis Park and a visit from ‘Cheezy’: Why the Wallabies’ Bledisloe belief is brewing

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 26 articles by Iain Payten →

Topics

Belfast Boks Perth South Africa Wallabies

Subjects

Wallabies ORG · 4× Boks NORP · 3× Perth GPE · 3× Belfast GPE · 1× Dr Dre’s PERSON · 1× Iain Payten PERSON · 1× Jonathan Drennan PERSON · 1× New Zealand GPE · 1× South Africa GPE · 1× Springboks ORG · 1×

Narrative

And the Wallabies have the belief that still lingers from last year, when they were even bigger outsiders but beat the Boks in Johannesburg and then almost beat them a week later in Cape Town.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-27

🔮 My name is Iain Payten and I will be with you on the blog, and we have the Belfast battler Jonathan Drennan on the ground at Optus Stadium.

2026-09-27 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Test Rugby LIVE: Can the Wallabies upset the world champion Springboks again? · assertive framing

Claims (12 extracted, 0 hedged)

My name is Iain Payten and I will be with you on the blog, and we have the Belfast battler Jonathan Drennan on the ground at Optus Stadium. asserted

we → have → Stadium

All our game coverage and Dr Dre’s match report will be right here tonight, so don’t stray too far. asserted

coverage → stray → ?

In the event you have some adrenaline left after a massive weekend of sport so far, we have you covered. asserted

you → leave → sport

The Springboks are favourites for tonight, and fair enough given they’re the world no.1 side and have won the last two Rugby World Cups. asserted

they → give → Cups

They just beat the world no.2 side, New Zealand, by 3-1 in a four-Test series. asserted

They → beat → series

The Boks named a hugely changed side from the one that mostly took on the Kiwis - coach Rassie Erasmus only named two regular starters in the run-on XV. asserted

Erasmus → name → XV

(Their bench is stacked, however) asserted

bench → stack → ?

And the Wallabies have the belief that still lingers from last year, when they were even bigger outsiders but beat the Boks in Johannesburg and then almost beat them a week later in Cape Town. asserted

they → have → Town

The Wallabies have had a decent run of success in Perth against the Boks, too. asserted

Wallabies → have → Boks

But the home ground advantage is probably neutralised by the fact Perth can be mistaken for the most easterly South African city, such are the numbers of expats who now called WA home. asserted

who → neutralise → WA

What do you think? asserted

you → think → What

Who will get the chocolates tonight? asserted

Who → get → chocolates