France defeated South Africa 21-19 at the Stade de France on Friday ending the Springboks’ reign as the world’s top-ranked rugby team.
The result saw the French hold firm against a physical South African side to maintain their position at the head of the North pool in the Nations Championship.
The victory, which saw France climb to third in the World Rugby rankings, marked the first time the French have beaten the Springboks in Paris since a 26-20 win in 2005. The result allows New Zealand to move provisionally into the number one position ahead of their upcoming match against Wales, while South Africa drops to second place with 91.53 points.
France dominated the opening period, entering halftime with a comfortable lead after crossing for three tries. The hosts were forced to show immense resilience in the second half as the Springboks increased their physical pressure.
The match remained highly contentious until the final whistle. In the closing stages, French prop Régis Montagne was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes following a sustained period of referee scrutiny over the scrum. Despite being reduced to 14 men for a period, France managed to repel a final attacking effort from the visitors.
The defensive intensity was highlighted by a tackle from winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who successfully dispossessed South African center Jesse Kriel to halt a surge. Antoine Dupont secured the ball following the subsequent ruck, allowing Maxime Lucu to kick the ball into the stands to confirm the result.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus did not hide behind the scoreboard following the defeat, acknowledging that the result would affect South Africa’s Nations Championship campaign. “It was a little bit of an eye on the World Cup, looking at how that combination went,” Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus said, noting that his lineup choices were made with a long-term vision in mind: the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The decision to promote Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Thomas du Toit to the starting front row ahead of established players like Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché, and Wilco Louw was part of this broader strategy.
Erasmus expressed satisfaction with the performance of his experimental front row, particularly Wessels, who scored from a rolling maul. “It was actually tough to put Malcolm and the guys on because these guys were really doing it.” While the coach was encouraged by Wessels’ progress in the hooker position, he accepted that the team’s late comeback effort was insufficient to secure the win.
French coach Fabien Galthié expressed his joy and admiration for his players, who refused to yield despite the immense energy expended to contain the Springboks. Galthié specifically praised Bielle-Biarrey for his defensive impact, joking about the winger’s physical perception: “Louis en a marre qu'on lui dise qu'il est maigre,” the coach said with a smile.
For the Springboks, captain Siya Kolisi emphasized the need for discipline and improvement, noting that the team is already focused on rectifying their mistakes. “We know what we need to fix,” Kolisi said. “Hopefully we will play better next week.” The Springboks face a challenging road ahead, with a match against Ireland in Dublin scheduled for the following week.
France, meanwhile, continues their campaign by hosting Argentina in one week for the sixth round of the Nations Championship. As the tournament progresses, the rankings remain fluid; while New Zealand currently sits at the summit with 92.65 points, further shifts are expected depending on the outcomes of the remaining weekend fixtures.
Earlier coverage: New Zealand Reclaims Top Rugby Ranking After South Africa Lose to France
