Australia want revenge. Durban has bunny chow and the Proteas.

Champions! This Friday, 9 October, something happens at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead that I need you to understand properly.

The Proteas play Australia in a Test match. In Durban. Their first Test meeting since June 2025, when we beat them at Lord’s to become world Test champions.

The first time since Lord’s.

Australia have had nearly sixteen months to think about that day. Nearly sixteen months of Aiden Markram’s hundred replaying in their sleep. Nearly sixteen months of Temba Bavuma limping between the wickets on one good hamstring and refusing to leave. And now they’ve flown all the way to Durban for revenge.

Durban doesn’t do revenge. Durban does hospitality. We’ll give you a bunny chow and a Coke, buddy.

It’s a three-Test series: Kingsmead from Friday, then St George’s Park in Gqeberha from 18 October, and Newlands in Cape Town from 27 October.

READ: Durban is bowling the world over as Kingsmead gets ready to host the Cricket World Cup

And here’s a stat that made me spit out my coffee. The Proteas haven’t played a Test at home since January 2025, when they completed a 2–0 series win over Pakistan at Centurion and Newlands. The 2025/26 summer had no home Tests at all. Not one.

Since then, they’ve had to do their Test cricket travelling, like someone who’s bought a house but works away so much they never sleep in it.

So this is the homecoming. And Champions, they’re coming home in a new shirt.

On Tuesday, I had the honour of being MC at Jonsson Workwear’s head office in Durban when they announced their new role as the front-of-shirt sponsor of the Proteas Test team.

A headline sponsor back on the front of the Test shirt. And a Durban-born business taking that spot.

Jonsson started here in 1955. Born here, bred here, still here, and now international! And on Friday, the new shirt makes its match debut at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead, in Durban, against the team we beat to become world champions.

You can’t write that. Well, I’m writing it. But you know what I mean.

The Proteas squad was in the room on Tuesday, and the Jonsson staff went absolutely crazy. Because this wasn’t just about a logo. It was about the people behind it.

Their tagline is “Dress like a team, work like a team”. Standing in front of that squad, it didn’t feel like a slogan. It felt like a description.

It was one of the biggest honours of my career. I’ve MC’d a lot of events, but I’ve never had the world Test champions staring at me while I do it!

So here’s what I need from you.

The Proteas need every single South African screaming and shouting for the next three weeks. If you can get to Kingsmead, St George’s Park or Newlands, please go. Take a day off. Take your dad, who’s been saying “Test cricket is the real cricket” since 1992. He’s right. Let him have this.

If you can’t get there, watch it, stream it, shout at the TV. Australia needs to hear us from Perth.

Play starts at 9.30 am on Friday. Kingsmead. Durban. Jonsson Workwear on the front. Australia in front of us.

Let’s go, Proteas. I love you. 5-nils.

MORE FROM RORY: Mexican Memories: My dream World Cup adventure from Durban

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• What: South Africa vs Australia, first Test.
• Where: Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban.
• When: Friday, 9 to Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
• Start: 9.30am on Friday.
• Tickets: Book through Ticketpro. The official listing confirms the opening-day venue and time.