France ended a five-match losing streak against South Africa with a narrow 21-19 win at Stade de France in Paris, delivering a blow to the world champions’ hopes of reaching the Nations Championship final. The match was marked by intense physicality and fine margins, with France’s captain Antoine Dupont named player of the match for his leadership and creativity.
The hosts scored three tries in the first half, all from their back three. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey crossed the line in an action-packed opening 40 minutes. Grandidier-Nkanang opened the scoring after a clever move sent Kalvin Gourgues through a gap, while Attissogbe’s try came following a fortunate bounce when the ball ricocheted off Gourgues’ head. Bielle-Biarrey finished off a grubber kick from Dupont to extend France’s lead. South Africa replied through Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who scored from a maul, but the Springboks had a second try disallowed just before half-time due to an offside infringement by Kurt-Lee Arendse.
France’s back three had been instrumental early on, but the second half turned more physical and chaotic. South Africa’s Jasper Wiese received a 20-minute red card for a shoulder charge, the third of four cards shown in the game. Despite going down to 14 men, South Africa’s set-piece dominance came to the fore. Replacement scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx both crossed to close the gap to two points.
Manie Libbok missed the conversion after Marx’s try that would have levelled the game at 21-21. South Africa then pushed hard for a winning score, but Bielle-Biarrey made a crucial tackle to force a turnover. Dupont secured possession and helped France cling on in the final minutes.
The match had unusual circumstances for France, with injuries ruling out their three first-choice fly-halves. Coach Fabien Galthie deployed Dupont, typically a scrum-half, at number 10, though Dupont operated mainly in his usual role behind the scrum. Dupont's left-footed 50:22 kick put France in good field position early, and his tactical kicking was a constant threat.
South Africa’s coach Rassie Erasmus made multiple changes to his front row during the match, attempting to counter France’s momentum. Despite losing Wiese to the red card, the Springboks’ scrum penalties and physicality kept the game in the balance.
The game’s intensity echoed the quarter-final between these sides at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris, with both teams showing creativity and grit. France’s discipline issues, including a yellow card for Grandidier-Nkanang for a deliberate knock-on, and a sin-bin for prop Regis Montagne, made the closing stages tense. France’s scrum struggled under pressure, but their defence and determination held firm.
The result leaves France six points clear at the top of the northern hemisphere Nations Championship standings. They now face Argentina next Saturday, placing them in a strong position to reach the inaugural final at Allianz Stadium on 29 November.
South Africa will meet Ireland in Dublin next weekend and need England to defeat New Zealand earlier that day to have a chance at reclaiming top spot in the southern hemisphere standings. The narrow loss raises questions over Libbok’s ability to deliver under pressure, echoing doubts from the 2023 World Cup.
France’s victory highlighted their attacking potential and defensive resilience, with Dupont’s adaptability and leadership central to their success. The win ends South Africa’s dominance over France in recent meetings but leaves the world champions with a challenging path ahead in the Nations Championship.
According to Yahoo Sports.
