The Rugby Championship 2023 kicks off with a titanic struggle: South Africa vs Australia. Both teams have plenty going on ahead autumn's Rugby World Cup, so there's more than just tournament bragging rights at stake. This year's Rugby Championship is not to be missed, so read on and we'll show you how to watch the South Africa vs Australia live stream for FREE from anywhere with a VPN.
It's been a sunny day in Pretoria and the temperature is at 19 degrees as the evening draws in in South Africa. For South Africa, Steven Kitshoff comes in to replace the injured Ox Nche at loosehead prop, while Willie Le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse and captain Duane Vermeulen in the starting XV. There are four debutants for the Wallabies, meanwhile, in their squad as Tom Hooper is in from the off, while tighthead Zane Nonggorr could make his debut off the bench in Eddie Jones' first game back as coach.
• Date: Saturday (July 8)
• Time: 4.05pm BST / 5.05pm SAST / 11.05am EDT / 8.05am PDT / 1.05am AEST (Sunday) / 3.05am NST (Sunday).
• Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
• FREE LIVE STREAM — 9Now (Australia)
• U.S. — FloRugby
• U.K. — Sky Sports
• Watch anywhere — Try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
South Africa against Australia will always be a massive contest not to be missed, so when it's the opening match of this year's Rugby Championship, you really do need to watch. The southern hemisphere's top sides coming together, a matter of months before the World Cup, is about as big as it gets and there are plenty of fascinating subplots going on, too.
Defending world champions South Africa have the upcoming jamboree in France firmly lodged in their heads. Coaches Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber are looking closely at every inch of their squad to find the best combination in each area of the field. They're splitting their starting XV over this fixture and the trip to New Zealand next week, but there's still plenty of experience on show with full-back Willie le Roux and back rower Pieter-Steph du Toit in the starting lineup. Any Springbok side is based on a strong pack, so losing prop Ox Nche to a chest injury is a blow. With World Cup places up for grabs, they'll be bang up for this.
So too will Australia, as Eddie Jones returns to his native country, whom he led from 2001 to 2005. The irascible former England boss will doubtless demand the Wallabies are fast in transition and kick possession regular, as seems to be his want, but Jones will also know that this countrymen also want to see entertaining rugby. The Super Rugby season is only recently finished, whereas South Africa's domestic season is long since over, so the Aussies may even have an advantage. Flyhalf Quade Cooper earns a recall following his ACL injury, while blindside flanker Tom Hooper will make his debut alongside veteran skipper Michael Hooper and Rob Valetini to complete the back row.
You will not want to miss the South Africa vs Australia live stream, and we’ve got all the ways the watch the Rugby Championship 2023 for free down below.
How to watch the South Africa vs Australia live stream for FREE in Australia
Rugby fans in Australia are in for a treat, as they can watch Wallabies games at the 2023 Rugby Championship for FREE on Channel 9.
That means viewers can also fire up a free Rugby Championship live stream on the 9Now streaming service, which is compatible with most smart devices.
Stan Sport, meanwhile, is the live streaming every match of the Rugby Championship, ad-free.
A subscription costs $10 per month (on top of a $10 Stan sub), after a 7-day Stan Sport FREE trial.
Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead, and we'll show you how to do that below. Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list
How to watch the South Africa vs Australia live stream from anywhere
It's natural that you might want to watch the Rugby Championship 2023 South Africa vs Australia live stream in your home country and with your favourite pundits and commentators, but what if you're not there when the fight is on? With a virtual private network, or VPN, you can appear to be surfing the web from your home town and access the same streaming services you already paid for.
Not sure which VPN is right for you? We've tested many different services and our pick for the best VPN overall is ExpressVPN. It offers superb speeds and excellent customer service. But you've got other VPN options as well. Here are our top picks.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.K. and want to view an Australian service, you'd select Australia from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now, Sky Sports or another service and watch South Africa vs Australia.
How to watch the South Africa vs Australia Rugby Championship 2023 live streams in the US
Great news for oval-ball fans in the US. Rugby fans can watch every game of the 2023 Rugby Championship, including South Africa vs Australia, on dedicated rugby streaming service FloRugby in the US.
A monthly subscription costs $29.99, with an annual subscription costing $150.
Both packages give you access to the entire FloSports network, which includes coverage of cycling, motorsport and American Football, all of which can be streamed on a range of devices, including iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV.
If you already use FloRugby but aren't in the U.S. right now, you can watch the South Africa vs Australia live stream by using a VPN such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch the South Africa vs Australia Rugby Championship live stream in the UK
Sky Sports is your destination to watch the South Africa vs Australia in the Rugby Championship 2023 live streams online. The tournament will air on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action, depending on the fixture, so make sure you sign up today.
If you're not currently in the U.K. and have a valid TV license, you can still watch a South Africa vs Australia live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch the South Africa vs Australia Rugby Championships 2023 live stream in New Zealand
Kiwis can access the Rugby Championship 2023 lives stream, including South Africa vs Australia, via Sky Sport. This costs $60.98 NZD per month, or you could go for the Sky Sport Now service, which gives you just the Sports channels but for a reduced cost of $19.99/week, $39.99/month or $399/year.
Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow the game by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
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