7 h. ago Australia stun South Africa with incredible comeback in Rugby Championship opener

South Africa 22-38 Australia: The Wallabies earned a first victory at Ellis Park since 1963

Sport

9 h. ago Wilson double sparks remarkable Australia comeback win to stun South Africa

South Africa 22-38 AustraliaWallabies recover from 22-0 down to sink SpringboksAustralia rallied from 22-0 down as Harry Wilson, their captain, scored two tries in a stunning 38-22 bonus-point victory over South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener on Saturday, the Wallabies’ first victory at Ellis Park in Johannesburg since 1963.South Africa raced into a seemingly commanding lead through tries by the wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, the centre André Esterhuizen and the No 8 Siya Kolisi, but their achilles heel has been the breakdown and it was there that Australia began to take control. The Springboks led 22-5 at half-time but Australia came alive in the second period and were excellent in soaking up pressure and hitting the world champions with fast breaks as they won on South African soil for the first time in 14 years. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago South Africa vs Australia live: Wallabies thrash Springboks in stunning start to Rugby Championship

The world champions’ bid to start their campaign strongly came unstuck against a dangerous visting Wallabies side

Sport

12 h. ago Glenn Maxwell steers Australia to T20 series win over South Africa in thriller

Third T20i: Australia, 173-8, bt SA, 172-7, by two wktsMaxwell’s 62 gets hosts home with one ball to spareAustralia’s Glenn Maxwell produced an unbeaten half-century in a tense chase to help the hosts edge out South Africa by two wickets in the third and final T20 international in Cairns on Saturday. Maxwell’s unbeaten 62 off 36 balls helped Australia chase down 173 with one ball to spare at the Cazalys Stadium, completing a 2-1 series victory in style.After 18 overs, it was a run-a-ball target for Australia with Maxwell in the middle. The South African bowler Corbin Bosch (three for 26) claimed two wickets and kept Maxwell away from the strike. Needing 10 off the last over from Lungi Ngidi, Maxwell took six from the first four balls before reverse-sweeping for four to seal Australia’s dramatic victory. Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago Australia beat South Africa in third men’s T20 international – live reaction

The hosts clinched victory in the in the T20I series decider at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns4th over: South Africa 32-1 (Rickelton 7, Pretorius 24) Another productive over for the Proteas with Pretorius leading the way. The South Africa No 3 hammers Ben Dwarshuis for three boundaries – the first goes straight over the bowler’s head, the next is a glance to a vacant fine leg, and the last is the pick of the bunch with a crunching straight drive.3rd over: South Africa 19-1 (Rickelton 7, Pretorius 11) A better over for South Africa as both batters find a boundary. Australia have had success with Glenn Maxwell opening the bowling in the first two matches in the series but seem to think there is a bit of life in this deck in Cairns. Continue reading...

Society

13 h. ago Australia beat South Africa in third men’s T20 international – as it happened

The hosts clinched victory in the in the T20I series decider at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns4th over: South Africa 32-1 (Rickelton 7, Pretorius 24) Another productive over for the Proteas with Pretorius leading the way. The South Africa No 3 hammers Ben Dwarshuis for three boundaries – the first goes straight over the bowler’s head, the next is a glance to a vacant fine leg, and the last is the pick of the bunch with a crunching straight drive.3rd over: South Africa 19-1 (Rickelton 7, Pretorius 11) A better over for South Africa as both batters find a boundary. Australia have had success with Glenn Maxwell opening the bowling in the first two matches in the series but seem to think there is a bit of life in this deck in Cairns. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago South Africa vs Australia live: Springboks take on Wallabies as Rugby Championship gets underway

The world champions bid to start their campaign strongly against a dangerous visting side

Sport

17 h. ago Australia v South Africa: third men’s T20 international – live

Updates from the T20I series decider in CairnsPlay at Cazalys Stadium starts 7.15pm localAny thoughts? Get in touch with Geoff Lemon1st over: South Africa 2-1 (Rickelton 1, Pretorius 0). Hazlewood takes no time to find his line and length. Markram and Rickleton pick up a single each before the Australia quick strikes with a trademark delivery outside off stump.Josh Hazlewood gives Australia the ideal star as the removes the South Africa captain. Markram steps onto the back foot and swings hard but a thick edge is comfortably grasped by Green at slip. Continue reading...

Society

34 h. ago Your Guardian sport weekend: Premier League, Rugby Championship and more

Here’s how to follow the Premier League and more with our coverage – the finest writing and live reports Continue reading...

Sport

35 h. ago Rugby Championship marks next phase of Wallabies’ redemption arc | Jack Snape

Australia appear on the up after a memorable Lions series but playing South Africa at a venue where they haven’t won for over 60 years poses a daunting challengeThe Wallabies will look to the past against the world champion Springboks by rolling out two 35-year-olds in the halves to open their campaign in the Rugby Championship, the southern hemisphere’s most prestigious trophy that now also appears on its last legs.Saturday’s clash at Ellis Park, beamed into Australia’s east coast early on Sunday morning, marks the next phase of the Wallabies’ redemption arc which has risen from the pool stage exit of the 2023 World Cup, through this year’s valiant British & Irish Lions series defeat and towards a tilt at the Webb Ellis Cup on home soil in 2027. Continue reading...

Sport

44 h. ago Why an uncertain future could set up a thrilling Rugby Championship

The southern hemisphere competition reaches the end of an era with change on the way – but there is optimism for a strong campaign for each competing nation

Sport

56 h. ago Wallabies and Springboks in identity swap for clash amid thin air of Highveld | Daniel Gallan

The frenemies meet in this year’s Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park where they are expected to rip pages out of the other’s playbookOne team boasts some of the most menacing forwards found anywhere in the world. The other is developing a scintillating backline capable of tearing apart any defence. Business as usual, then, for a Wallabies versus Springboks clash. Except this time, like the characters of Freaky Friday, the two sides have switched identities ahead of the first round of the Rugby Championship.Australia might have lost the British & Irish Lions series but they were one referee’s decision at the breakdown away from causing a seismic upset. That the margin was so small was thanks largely to the thundering cameos of Will Skelton, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou and a handful of other meaty men who provided the front-foot grunt that was absent in the first Test in Brisbane. Continue reading...

Politics

60 h. ago Wallabies recall veteran James O’Connor at No 10 for South Africa showdown

Return for 35-year-old after three-year absenceBlow as Ben Donaldson ruled out of Johannesburg clashVeteran James O’Connor has been called on to take on the playmaking duties as the Wallabies seek to build on the impetus of their third Test win over the Lions with a rare victory in South Africa at the start of the Rugby Championship.But a plan for the 35-year-old O’Connor, back in the green and gold after three years, to share the No 10 role has had to be shelved after Ben Donaldson went down injured in training on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago South Africa beat Australia by 53 runs: second men’s T20 international – live

Updates from the second T20I at TIO StadiumAny thoughts? Get in touch with Geoff on emailMaxwell to continue, the young Pretorius top edges a sweep, it swirls over fine leg and dropped! Zampa was circling under it like a puzzled shark, never looked set, and as it comes down he’s craning his neck to work out the angle of the drop. His head isn’t in position, and he spills it. Maxwell is not happy, with two runs conceded as well, and he’s even less happy next ball when Pretorius puts him on the roof. Huge sweep shot, bounces off the corrugated tin. But Maxwell’s mood improves after a single, as Markram skips down, laces an off drive, but hits it flat and straight at mid off. Owen takes the catch.4th over: South Africa 35-1 (Markram 18, Pretorius 1) Ben Dwarshuis finishes the over tightly, only one run from it along with the wicket. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago Australia v South Africa: second men’s T20 international – live

Updates from the T20I at TIO StadiumPlay starts in Darwin at 6.45pm local/7.15pm AESTAny thoughts? Get in touch with Geoff on email2nd over: South Africa 13-0 (Markram 12, Rickelton 1) Maxwell to bowl the second over, also as he did the other night. Off-spinner in the Powerplay, tough job, but he does it exceptionally this time. Concedes two runs first ball, then ties down Markram for the next three. Only goes for two more singles in the over. Rushes through it, bowls a tight line, doesn’t give the length to hit. He’s clever.1st over: South Africa 9-0 (Markram 9, Rickelton 0) Hazlewood to begin, and Markram begins with a boundary! Drives him through cover first ball. He did something similar the other night. Follows up a couple of balls later with a straight drive for four, also similar to the other night. That time he hit three fours off the first five balls, then got out. This time, he hits two fours, then takes a single. Better. Continue reading...

Society

6 d. ago Tim David and Josh Hazlewood shine as Australia sink South Africa in first T20

Australia 178; South Africa 161-9 | Australia win by 17 runsDavid scores 83 to lead Australia to win in DarwinAustralia have dominated South Africa’s largely unknown batting lineup to secure an unlikely victory in the first match of a three-game Twenty20 series in Darwin.South Africa lost by 17 runs in at Marrara Oval on Sunday, bowled out for 161 after Australia were dismissed for a disappointing 178 from the final ball of an innings rescued by Tim David’s 83. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Australia beat South Africa by 17 runs in first men’s T20 international – as it happened

Australia battled back from a dreadful start n Darwin to win the first of three T20 matches5th over: Australia 60-3 (Green 25, David 18) So the run rate’s up and the wickets are falling. David doesn’t mind the latter, he maintains the former, thrashing Corbin Bosch’s first ball over backward point for four. It was full and wide but David has the reach to fetch what Travis Head couldn’t earlier. Bosch, tall and blond and built, looks annoyed, bowls the next into leg stump, and has David hitting to his outfielder at deep backward. That’s more the plan. No plan is containing Green though, who makes it look so easy slotting another six over long on. He’s 24 off 7 balls! Then races a single. He’s six foot seventy-three but he’s also quick enough. One ball to come, and David drives it over cover for six!Oh boy. Three down and they’re going at 12 an over. The ground DJ is playing Chappell Roan. Hot to Go. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Australia v South Africa: first men’s T20 international – live

Updates on the series opener at TIO Stadium in Darwin Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email5th over: Australia 60-3 (Green 25, David 18) So the run rate’s up and the wickets are falling. David doesn’t mind the latter, he maintains the former, thrashing Corbin Bosch’s first ball over backward point for four. It was full and wide but David has the reach to fetch what Travis Head couldn’t earlier. Bosch, tall and blond and built, looks annoyed, bowls the next into leg stump, and has David hitting to his outfielder at deep backward. That’s more the plan. No plan is containing Green though, who makes it look so easy slotting another six over long on. He’s 24 off 7 balls! Then races a single. He’s six foot seventy-three but he’s also quick enough. One ball to come, and David drives it over cover for six!Oh boy. Three down and they’re going at 12 an over. The ground DJ is playing Chappell Roan. Hot to Go. Continue reading...

Society

9 d. ago Nic White immediately reverses Australia retirement after impressive Lions performance

White retired from Wallabies duty after the Lions series but has answered an SOS call from Joe Schmidt

Events

9 d. ago My dog ate my passport... Leroy Carter nearly misses All Blacks call

Chiefs star Carter is one of four uncapped players called up to the New Zealand squad for the Rugby Championship but a doggy disaster nearly cost him his place

Politics