Mandela Challenge Plate Explained

Sport:	Rugby union
Founded:	2000
Teams:	2
Country:
Season:	2024
Count:	13

The Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate is a rugby union trophy contested between Australia and South Africa. It is named after South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela.

History

Initially designed to be held every two years, the trophy was first contested as a one-off match in 2000, with Australia winning the game 44-23 at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium. The second, played in Ellis Park, Johannesburg in 2002, was also South Africa's home game in the Tri Nations, and was won 33–31 by South Africa. The 2004 event, delayed until 2005, was played over two legs, and was not part of the Tri Nations. Since South Africa were the holders, Australia needed to win both games to reclaim the trophy. Australia won the first game 30–12, but lost the return leg at Ellis Park, 33–20.

Between 2006 and 2011, with the expansion of the Tri Nations series so that each country plays each other three times, the plate was contested over three Tests, akin to the Bledisloe Cup, with the exception of 2007 and 2011, when teams only played 4 games each, to accommodate for the Rugby World Cups in those years. In 2012, the Tri Nations was expanded to include Argentina and the competition was renamed The Rugby Championship. The teams now play each other twice, and the challengers are required to beat the holders in both games to win the plate.^[1]

The trophy is a leather-clad silver plate containing a 24 carat (100%) rim, and a central gold disk showing a Wallaby and a Springbok (the icons of the two teams).^[2] It was designed by Flynn Silver, an Australian family company from Kyneton, Victoria.

Matches

Details	P			D	Australia points	South Africa points
Australia	23	17	5	1	564	455
South Africa	18	3	14	1	328	534
Overall	41	20	19	2	890	989

Source:^[3]

Results

Year	Date	Venue	Home	Score	Away	Trophy Winner
2024	17 August 2024	Perth Stadium, Perth		12–30
	10 August 2024	Lang Park, Brisbane		7–33
2023	8 July	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria		43–12
2022	3 September 2022	Allianz Stadium, Sydney		8–24
	27 August 2022	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide		25–17
2021	18 September	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane		30–17
	12 September	Robina Stadium, Robina, Queensland		28–26
2019	20 July	Ellis Park, Johannesburg		35–17
2018	29 September	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth		23–12
	8 September	Lang Park, Brisbane		23–18
2017	30 September	Free State Stadium, Blomfontein		27–27
	9 September	Perth Oval, Perth		23–23
2016	1 October	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria		18–10
	10 September	Lang Park, Brisbane		23–17
2015	18 July	Lang Park, Brisbane		24–20
2014	27 September	Newlands, Cape Town		28–10
	6 September	Subiaco Oval, Perth		24–23
2013	28 September	Newlands, Cape Town		28–8
	7 September	Lang Park, Brisbane		12–38
2012	29 September	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria		31–8
	8 September	Subiaco Oval, Perth		26–19
2011	13 August	Kings Park Stadium, Durban		9–14
	23 July	Stadium Australia, Sydney		39–20
2010	4 September	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein		39–41
	28 August	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria		44–31
	24 July	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane		30–13
2009	5 September	Lang Park, Brisbane		21–6
	29 August	Subiaco Oval, Perth		25–32
	8 August	Newlands, Cape Town		29–17
2008	30 August	Ellis Park, Johannesburg		53–8
	23 August	Kings Park Stadium, Durban		15–27
	19 July	Subiaco Oval, Perth		16–9
2007	7 July	Stadium Australia, Sydney		25–17
	16 June	Newlands, Cape Town		22–19
2006	9 September	Ellis Park, Johannesburg		24–16
	5 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		20–18
	15 July	Lang Park, Brisbane		49–0
2005	23 July	Ellis Park, Johannesburg		33–20
	9 July	Stadium Australia, Sydney		30–12
2002	17 August	Ellis Park, Johannesburg		33–31
2000	8 July	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne		44–23

See also

• History of rugby union matches between Australia and South Africa

Notes and References

1. Web site: A short history of the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate - SuperSport - Football. www.supersport.com.
2. Web site: Flynn Silver : Awards & Trophies. www.flynnsilver.com.au. 12 April 2018.
3. http://www.pickandgo.info/ Pick and Go rugby archive