Can the Springboks bounce back from their opening day defeat?
Watch South Africa v Australia as the 2025 Rugby Championship continues in Cape Town, with the Springboks looking to bounce back from a shock opening weekend defeat.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know to tune into this year’s second Springboks v Wallabies encounter online, on TV and from anywhere. Scroll down to the end of the article for a preview, team line-ups and officials.
South Africa v Australia: Key viewing information
– Date: Saturday 23 August 2025
– Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
– Kick-off time: 4.10pm BST / 5.10pm SAST / 1.10am AEST (Sunday) / 11.10am ET
– TV channels/Live streams: Sky Sports/Now (UK & Ireland); Stan Sport (Australia); SuperSport (South Africa); NZR+ (various countries across Europe)
– Watch from anywhere: NordVPN mega-deal
Stream on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland
Sky Sports has the rights to show every match of the 2025 Rugby Championship in the UK and Ireland, including a Springboks v Wallabies live stream.
The game kicks off at 4.10pm BST this afternoon, with the build-up getting underway at 4.00pm on Sky Sports Action.
You can check out the latest Sky Sports subscription offers on the Sky website. There’s no shortage of ways to tune in, including the Sky Go app for desktop, iOS, Android, PlayStation or Xbox.
Watch South Africa v Australia from anywhere
If you’re abroad this weekend, that doesn’t mean you have to miss this eagerly anticipated Cape Town clash. That’s because a good VPN (Virtual Private Network) can help you take your usual streaming service with you, wherever you are in the world.
These handy pieces of software can help you to change your laptop, smartphone or tablet’s IP address. This means you can make your device appear to be in your home country, allowing you to access your TV provider wherever you are, even when you’re on the other side of the world. VPNs also improve your internet security, which is great news if you’re using a Wi-Fi connection in an unfamiliar hotel or bar.
Our office mates at Tom’s Guide test out loads of VPNs and reckon NordVPN is currently the best available.
70% off + 3 months FREE
“NordVPN leads the pack when it comes to unblocking global Netflix libraries, and is capable of getting access to almost every other streaming site in the world” – Tom’s Guide.
You can try it risk-free and you can bag a big discount in the process!
How to watch Springboks v Wallabies in Australia
Rugby fans down under can watch every game of the 2025 Rugby Championship on Stan Sport, including South Africa v Australia. You’ll have to stay up late again, because the kick-off time is 1.10am AEST in the small hours of Sunday morning – though if the Wallabies can put in a performance like they did last week, it’ll surely feel worthwhile.
Stan Sport costs $20 per month on top of a general Stan plan, which starts from $12 per month.
You won’t have to pay to watch all of the Wallabies’ Championship matches this season, however. The side’s upcoming games against Argentina and New Zealand will all be available free-to-air on Nine Network, via Nine and its 9Now streaming service.
Stream the Springboks’ second Rugby Championship game in South Africa
SuperSport has the South African rights to the Rugby Championship, as the Springboks try to bounce back from last weekend’s shock defeat. South Africa v Australia kicks off at 5.10pm SAST.
There are various SuperSport packages available, whether you want to watch via DStv or stream.
Watch the South Africa v Australia across Europe
New Zealand Rugby’s NZR+ platform is showing Rugby Championship matches in numerous European countries where no specific broadcast deal is available. The list includes Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine. The service is also available in China, India, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka.
A SANZAAR month pass costs €14.99, while a SANZAAR season pass (which will see you through the whole championship) will cost you €34.99. Signing up is super easy – all you have to do is visit the NZR+ website, set up an account with your email address, and select one of the subscription packages.
How to watch Springboks v Wallabies in the USA
FloRugby should be your destination for a South Africa v Australia live stream in the United States. The first of today’s matches kicks off at 11.10am ET / 8.10am PT this morning.
A rolling monthly FloRugby subscription costs $29.99, with an annual subscription costing $150 (which effectively works out at $12.50 per month). That gets you access to the entire FloSports network, which is great news for fans of cycling, motorsport, American football and more.
Stream the 2025 Rugby Championship in New Zealand
You can keep track of the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship rivals on Sky Sport NZ, which has the rights to every game of the tournament this year.
A subscription to streaming service Sky Sport Now costs $54.99 per month or $549.99 per year (equivalent to $45.83 per month). Day passes are also available for $29.99.
Watch South Africa v Australia in Hong Kong, Singapore and across southeast Asia
Premier Sports Asia has the rights to broadcast Rugby Championship matches in South East Asia and will show matches in 30 territories: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marianas, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Nepal, Northern Marianas, North Korea, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Taiwan (Republic of China), Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
South Africa v Australia match preview
Be honest, who saw that one coming? Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies may have looked good in their second and third Tests against the British & Irish Lions, but few were expecting them to win at the Springboks’ Johannesburg stronghold, Ellis Park. That they did it having gone 22-0 down after 18 minutes, going on to score 38 points without reply to secure the victory, puts the result among rugby’s biggest upsets in recent years.
Unsurprisingly, Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus – never afraid of tinkering with his side at the best of times – has named a significantly different side for today’s Cape Town clash. Only Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Marco van Staden, Grant Williams and Jesse Kriel keep their places in the starting XV, with Kriel taking over the captaincy in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi .
Bath’s Thomas du Toit comes in at tighthead, with RG Snyman and Roan Nortje getting the nod in the second row. Franco Mostert and Jean-Luc du Preez come in at flanker and number 8, respectively, with Handre Pollard partnering Williams at half-back. Outside them, Damian de Allende joins Kriel in the centres, Cheslin Kolbe and Canan Moodie start on the wings, and the veteran Willie Le Roux is chosen at full-back.
The visitors, meanwhile, have made three changes to a winning XV, all enforced by injury. Skipper Harry Wilson, who picked up a knee injury last week, will be replaced at number 8 by Rob Valetini. Flanker Fraser McReight takes over captaincy duties. Tom Robertson is picked at tighthead, after HIA protocols ruled out James Slipper, while Corey Toole makes his debut on the wing in place of Dylan Pietsch, who fractured his jaw last weekend.
Springboks v Wallabies line-ups and officials
South Africa
Aphelele Fassi, Canan Moodie, Jesse Kriel (captain), Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Handre Pollard, Grant Williams; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit, RG Snyman, Ruan Nortje, Marco van Staden, Franco Mostert, Jean-Luc du Preez
Replacements:
Marnus van der Merwe, Boan Venter, Wilco Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Australia
Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Akuso Suaalii, Len Iketau, Corey Toole, James O’Connor, Nic White; Tom Robertson, Billy Pollard, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight (captain), Rob Valetini
Replacements:
Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Tate McDermott, Tane Edmed, Andrew Kellaway
The referee for today’s first Rugby Championship match is James Doleman of New Zealand. The assistants are Andrew Brace (Ireland) and Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy) with Richard Kelly (New Zealand) as TMO.
We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:
- Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
- Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad
We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.
Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.