11-man Australia hangs on to upset South Africa 42-38 in extraordinary rugby test

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Australia won an extraordinary rugby match with South Africa 42-38 after going down to 11 men and holding out the world champion on Sunday.

The Wallabies were brilliant for a 42-17 lead until the 70th minute when captain Harry Wilson was sin-binned for a high tackle that ramped up an already dramatic contest.

South Africa took advantage in a five-meter scrum to bag a penalty try and renew hope. That belief was kindled by more yellow cards to scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, winger Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i and center Hunter Paisami that reduced Australia to 11 men by the 76th. By then, South Africa was only two scores behind.

But incredible defense by the 11 Wallabies restricted the equally desperate Springboks to one score by prop Ox Nché in the 80th and time ran out for the visitors.

“It was a crazy last 10 minutes,” Wilson told broadcaster Stan Sport. “But that first 70 minutes ... we did exactly what we wanted.”

The four yellow cards, communication problems between the match officials who needed a cell phone on the field, and an illegal attempt by South Africa to replace record caps holder Eben Etzebeth, dragged out the last 20 minutes for nearly 35 minutes.

Australia, coming off a first series win in Argentina, is unbeaten in six straight tests for the first time since 2017. That year was also the last time South Africa conceded at least 42 points as its reputation for having the most depth in men's international rugby took a hit in Perth.

The Springboks made 13 changes to their starting lineup after winning the grueling Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand two weeks ago. But they trailed 24-17 at halftime and even when the entire eight-man Bomb Squad bench was unleashed in the 50th, they couldn't score in the second half until the 71st.

In a penalty-strewn start, Handré Pollard and Lonergan quickly found their goalkicking range. Then a Springboks lineout drive finished with hooker Johan Grobbelaar scoring for 10-3.

Australia's backs struggled to string passes for the first 30 minutes but center Len Ikitau scored twice in two minutes, first from an offload by lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, then off an aerial contestable won by Sua'ali'i.

But the Boks also hit straight back, a beautiful pass by Pollard to Canan Moodie setting up Edwill van der Merwe's seventh try in eight tests.

Then it was the turn of the Australia backs to show off, starting with a kick from Tom Wright for Max Jorgensen and soft hands giving flyhalf Ben Donaldson a try untouched and their first halftime lead against South Africa since 2022.

Two penalties by Lonergan stretched the lead to 30-17 but Ikitau had to limp off. From a tap penalty, Wilson scored by reaching over the top of a ruck and Lonergan's sixth straight goalkick made it 37-17.

He missed for the first time when he didn't convert a try by Jorgensen, who scooped up a dropped catch by Moodie 60 meters out. But Australia had 42 points, its most against the Boks in 20 years.

The scarcely believable 25-point gap began to unravel with Wilson's yellow card.

Lonergan followed his skipper for interfering with South Africa's pushover attempt that also earned the penalty try.

Van der Merwe could have had a second try but knocked on trying to catch Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's kickpass. But Sua'ali'i was sin-binned for being offside and another pushover attempt by South Africa successfully set up a try for scrumhalf Morné van den Berg and 42-31 with six minutes to go.

With four left, Wright appeared to finish off South Africa with an intercept try but it was ruled out after Paisami high-tackled Feinberg-Mngomezulu and was yellow-carded.

The desperate Boks saw Lood de Jager held up but Nché crash over, though there were only 20 seconds left of regulation time.

Then Wilson and Lonergan returned from the sin-bin to lift Australia to 13 men and pin back the Boks one final time.

See AP’s full rugby coverage here

Australia's Len Ikitau celebrates scoring a try against South Africa during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

South Africa's Aphelele Fassi, left, and Australia's Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii compete for a high ball during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

Andrea Piardi uses a cellular phone to communicate with off-field officials during the rugby union test match between Australia and South Africa in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

Australia's Jeremy Williams, right, and Tom Wright celebrate their win over South Africa in their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

Australian players celebrate with the Mandela Challenge Plate after defeating South Africa in their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

Australia's Angus Bell, center, is tackled by South Africa's Marco van Staden during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

South Africa's Eben Etzebeth, top, wins a line out against Australia during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

Australia's Ben Donaldson, right scores a try against South Africa during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

Australia's Len Ikitau, center, charges though South Africa's Aphelele Fassi, right, to score a try during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gary Day)

MADRID (AP) — Protesters outraged by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman camped overnight in Madrid’s historic Puerta del Sol plaza, where more demonstrators — including multigenerational families — joined them on Sunday for a second day of protests over Spain’s housing crisis.

Tens of thousands marched through Madrid on Saturday to protest the eviction of María del Carmen Abascal from the apartment in the upscale Retiro neighborhood where she had lived for more than seven decades.

The demonstrators are demanding stronger tenant protections, measures to combat fraud and a ban on evictions when alternative housing is unavailable.

Many refused to leave after Saturday’s march and pitched tents in Puerta del Sol for the night.

“The housing situation is unsustainable,” said Natalia Navarro, a 27-year-old actress who was among those camping out at the plaza. “We are all out on the street because we are fed up.”

“The wave of indignation and anger that has been unleashed is now unstoppable,” said Alicia del Río, a spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants’ Union, which led the protests.

“We will remain here” until the government passes new laws, including indefinite rental contracts, and stops evictions like Abascal’s, del Río told journalists at the plaza on Sunday. Spain's Socialist-led government is expected to announce new measures in its weekly cabinet meeting next Tuesday.

On Sept. 23, Abascal was carried from her apartment on a stretcher and placed in an ambulance as supporters — who had tried unsuccessfully to stop the eviction — chanted her nickname, “Maricarmen.”

“I haven’t managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what’s theirs,” Abascal said in a video recorded from her hospital bed after the eviction.

Images of the eviction spread widely across Spain, fueling outrage and criticism of public authorities and real estate investment companies accused of pricing residents out of their homes. Critics often refer to such companies as “vulture funds.”

“Maricarmen has been, in a way, the last straw that sparked this social unrest,” said Simón de la Riva, 43, a teacher who took part in Saturday's protests.

Speaking at a Socialist Party rally in Madrid, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed Abascal directly: “I have a message for you, Maricarmen: the government is working around the clock to bring a Royal Decree on housing next Tuesday. And I ask parliamentary groups to make one last effort to have it validated in the National Parliament for Maricarmen.”

Abascal has criticized Sánchez and blamed him for her ordeal.

“Does he not realize the quantity of evictions that there are daily?” she asked during an interview with Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE the day before she was forcibly removed from her home. “Does he not realize, or does he not want to realize?”

Spanish media reported that Abascal’s father first rented the apartment in 1956 and that she remained there as a tenant under rent controls after her parents died.

The building changed ownership in 2018, and Abascal was offered the opportunity to buy the apartment but could not afford it, according to the Madrid Tenants’ Union.

Urbagestión, an investment fund that later bought the unit, raised her monthly rent from 500 euros ($570) to 2,650 euros.

It subsequently lowered the rent to 1,650 euros, which Abascal still could not afford on her pension, the union said.

Rising costs and a housing shortage are pricing many Spaniards out of the market, despite strong economic growth in Europe’s fourth-largest economy. Incomes have not kept pace with the rising housing costs, and analysts say tourism and immigration-driven population growth in cities have placed further pressure on the limited housing supply.

The Bank of Spain estimated that the country had a shortage of about 550,000 homes last year, with Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia accounting for a substantial share.

The demonstrations in the symbolic Madrid plaza this weekend reminded many in Spain of the historic demonstrations starting May 15, 2011, when members of the “indignados movement” camped for 28 days straight, sparking similar sit-ins across the country and the world. That movement was a reaction to evictions and other issues following a global economic crisis, including unemployment, austerity measures and corruption.

Estefania Molina, a political scientist and columnist, said the stakes of popular frustration are growing. In 2011, "people protested because they couldn’t buy an apartment."

“Today, the protest is about not being able to rent a room in someone else’s home," she told Spanish television.

Spain ranks near the bottom of countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development for subsidized public rental housing, which represents less than 2% of the country's housing stock. The European Union average is 8%.

Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain. Associated Press journalist Suman Naishadham contributed to this report from Madrid.

People gather during a protest following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen to demand stronger laws to protect renters at Sol square in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

People gather during a protest following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen to demand stronger laws to protect renters at Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Maricarmen, 87, waits at home for police to arrive before being evicted from the home where she lived in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (Fernando Sánchez/Europa Press via AP)

Maricarmen, 87, waits at home for police to arrive before being evicted from the home where she lived in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (Fernando Sánchez/Europa Press via AP)

People gather during a protest following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen to demand stronger laws to protect renters at Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A woman holds a flare during a protest following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen to demand stronger laws to protect renters at Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

People gather during a protest following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen to demand stronger laws to protect renters at Sol square in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

People set up tents during a protest following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen to demand stronger laws to protect renters at Sol square in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)