Jacques Nienaber is mindful of the Springboks’ woeful run of results in Australia, the world champions having not won an away Test against the Wallabies since 2013.

The Wallabies had won the seven previous Tests between the teams in Brisbane when, in 2013, the Boks demolished Australia at Suncorp Stadium for the first time.

However, South Africa have subsequently lost six of seven Test matches against the Wallabies in Australia – the exception a 23-23 stalemate in Perth in 2015.

The Boks have also not beaten the Wallabies since 2019 (35-17 at Ellis Park) and lost back-to-back 2021 Rugby Championship Tests on the Gold Coast in Nienaber’s first year in charge. Quade Cooper marked his return to Test rugby with a penalty after the hooter for a last-gasp 28-26 win over South Africa, before the Wallabies outscored the Boks four tries to one in a bonus-point 30-17 victory.

Now, on the back of a 35-23 reverse against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, the Boks leave for Australia on Thursday to battle the Wallabies in Adelaide (27 August) and Sydney (3 September).

“We are bitterly disappointed about the defeat against New Zealand last weekend, and we know that we have to be at our best to fight back in the next four matches of the competition to keep us in contention to win the tournament,” said Nienaber.

“We saw what Australia are capable of at home last year and we know that we will be tested thoroughly.

“The last time we beat the Wallabies in Australia was in 2013, so we have a big mountain to climb over there but, that said, we have looked at our game against New Zealand and we know what areas we need to improve on, and we will put in the hard work on the field to iron out those aspects when we arrive in Australia.

“It is going to be a tough tour, but we know what our players are capable of, and we are determined to make our nation proud.”