Quade Cooper has capped an incredible Wallabies return, kicking a match-winning penalty after the final siren to beat South Africa 28-26 in his first Test in more than four years.

Cooper, a shock call-up to face the world champions, played the role of the hero for the Wallabies after they won a scrum penalty in the final 20 seconds of the Rugby Championship Test in Robina on the Gold Coast.

The 33-year-old cooly slotted the penalty goal attempt from 40 metres out on an angle, icing the Wallabies' first win of the tournament.

Cooper said that after previously kicking a penalty goal from a similar spot he knew he had the distance.

"I had a little chat to Hodgey (Reece Hodge) … and he backed me, so you know [when] your peers are backing you, you've got to back yourself as well," Cooper told Stan Sport.

Cooper finished with a perfect seven-from-seven penalty goals and a conversion in the Wallabies' first Test against the Springboks since 2019.

He was understated in his Wallabies comeback, reeling in his long-passing game but still providing good service to his outside players in a poised display his side needed after three straight losses to the All Blacks.

Cooper had a role to play in the Wallabies' only try of the match in the 17th minute.

His pass to Samu Kerevi put his teammate into space, with the the bulldozing centre's step inside and long pass finding winger Andrew Kellaway for a five-pointer.

A scrum penalty offered Cooper another three points that built a 19-11 half-time lead, the first time they had led at the break this year.

The Springboks turned pressure into points, however, with Bongi Mbonambi's first-half try and Malcom Marx's second-half double all coming from rolling mauls.

Marx's second try put them in front 26-25 in the 72nd-minute, but a missed conversion attempt meant there was just a solitary point in the contest.

The Wallabies looked for a reply in the final three minutes but appeared to miss their chance when Hodge knocked on after Michael Hooper's line break.

Hodge then put up a bomb to give away possession in the final minute, but the Wallabies rescued it with another strong scrum to set up the fairytale finish.

There were four yellow cards handed out during the match.

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi and Wallabies hooker Folau Fainga'a were both sent to the sideline for dangerous tackles, while Springboks fullback Willie Le Roux was deemed to knock a pass down deliberately.

Wallabies lock Matt Philip was sin-binned for pulling down a Springboks' maul during the first half.

AAP