2023-10-16 03:23:05
The joy of the South Africans and the distress of the French, after the qualification of the Springboks for the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup, October 15, 2023, in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis). FRANCK FIFE / AFP
A small point. The smallest possible gap is what plunges the XV of France into the abyss. At the end of a Dantesque evening, Antoine Dupont and his partners saw hell opening up beneath their feet. Eliminated on Sunday, October 15, by South Africa (28-29), they left “their” World Cup haggard and at the quarter-final stage. For the first time in four years, the arrow of time dear to Fabien Galthié has not reached its target. But she didn’t get far.
Relive the match: France-South Africa: beaten by one point by the Springboks, the Blues eliminated in the quarter-finals
In this heavyweight fight which would not have been out of place for a world belt – like the clash on Saturday between Ireland and New Zealand – the fury was constantly stoked. In a Stade de France hesitant to catch its breath, for fear of missing an action, French and trophy holders rushed to the ropes, making the atmosphere unbreathable.
Trying to spring from where they would not be expected, the two teams surrendered blow for blow. We anticipated a South African game favoring the shortest path, which involved crushing the opponent physically – or as the manager of the Pau Section, Sebastien Piqueronies, put it, “their fierce desire to move forward, (…) whether there is a wall or a man in front of it” -, Jacques Nienaber’s men decided to bypass the opponent from above. With a bang, the Springboks set the French rearguard on fire, scoring three tries in the first period (by Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe).
Read also: The XV of France is preparing for “a meeting of quite rare intensity” against South Africa
“The South Africans have a very sophisticated tactical approach that never leaves room for chance, observed Fabien Galthié before the meeting. They are always adapting and the level of strategy and thinking is pushed to its peak. »
But in this battle of leaders transformed into a game of chess, the French did not fail to advance their pieces, immediately imposing their physical power against the benchmark in the matter, and picking off the South Africans in force – by Cyril Baille, twice, and Peato Mauvaka.
Transformation countered, two points that are worth a lot
In the stands, the public was looking for a second, then a third wind, after a first period whose intensity was an ode to rugby. Like the sprint of the elf Cheslin Kolbe, who came to counter – at the very limit of legality – a transformation of his former partner in Toulouse Thomas Ramos (22nd), depriving the Blues of two points which will count dearly on the altar of their regrets. “This gesture probably gave us victory”greeted the South African captain, Siya Kolisi, after the match.
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