Nations Championship
France (21) 21
Tries: Grandidier-Nkanang, Attissogbe, Bielle-Biarrey Cons: Lucu (3)
South Africa (7) 19
Tries: Wessels, Reinach, Marx Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)
France held on to finish their five-match dropping run in opposition to South Africa at Stade de France with an enthralling 21-19 victory in Paris.
The victory dents the world champions' hopes of reaching the Nations Championship last and places Les Bleus in a robust place to high the northern hemisphere standings.
The hosts, impressed by their captain Antoine Dupont, confirmed their class and talent to attain three first-half tries inan action-packed recreation.
France's again three of Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey all crossed in an exhilarating opening 40 minutes, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels scoring off the again of a maul for the guests.
The Springboks thought they’d a second strive on the stroke of half-time however Kurt-Lee Arendse's strive was chalked off after he strayed marginally offside.
Quantity eight Jasper Wiese was proven a 20-minute pink card early within the second half – the third of 4 playing cards proven the sport –for a shoulder cost, but it surely had the alternative impact to derailing the world champions.
With South Africa's set-piece energy proving an excessive amount of, alternative scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx scored to arrange an exhilarating finale.
Nonetheless, Manie Libbok missed the important conversion to Marx's strive that may have levelled the sport.
With South Africa pushing for a profitable rating, Bielle-Biarrey produced an enormous defensive deal with to drive the ball free, earlier than Dupont, who was named participant of the match, gathered possession to assist seal the victory.
The consequence will come as a blow to each England and Eire, who’re in direct competitors with France for a spot within the Nations Championship last on the finish of the month.
Les Bleus, who’re six factors clear on the high of the northern hemisphere standings, now face Argentina subsequent Saturday, placing them in a robust place to achieve the inaugural last at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, 29 November.
Dupont wears 10 however excels from 9
Accidents to France's three first-choice fly-halves – Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack and Antoine Hastoy – left France coach Fabien Galthie with little choice however to deploy his captain and talismanic scrum-half at quantity 10.
Regardless of sporting the France quantity 10 shirt for the primary time, Dupont lined up at scrum-half, as Galthie performed Rassie Erasmus, who had swapped his total entrance row an hour earlier than kick-off, at his personal recreation.
It was an electrical begin from the hosts, as a intelligent transfer despatched Kalvin Gourgues via a spot, with Grandidier-Nkanang ultimately crossing within the nook.
A monstrous left-footed 50:22 from Dupont, with South Africa lock Lood de Jager within the sin-bin for a excessive deal with, gave France discipline place, earlier than the ball cannoned off Gourgues' head and Attissogbe crossed for a lucky strive.
Dupont equipped extra magic, grubber kicking via on his stronger proper foot for Bielle-Biarrey to race over.
South Africa's energy advised as they scored their opening strive from a maul, earlier than Erasmus modified his total entrance row once more, 5 minutes earlier than half-time.
Creativity, depth and physicality – it was a primary recreation that felt l of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris.
Regardless of dropping Wiese to a 20-minute pink card early within the second half, the world champions took benefit of Grandidier-Nkanang's sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on.
Tiredness and poor self-discipline made the sport free and chaotic, earlier than the Springboks turned to their scrum to regain management.
A succession of scrum penalties resulted in one other sin-bin, with alternative France prop Regis Montagne yellow carded because the hosts have been left clinging on for the ultimate 10 minutes.
Gorgeous scramble defence and sheer grit confirmed a facet to the back-to-back Six Nations champions France that has usually been questioned.
Regardless of their scrum crumbling, France held agency, persevering with to chase kicks and compete for free balls.
A draw would have felt a good consequence given the contrasting nature of the 2 halves, however Libbok – as on the 2023 World Cup – badly shanked a kick that may as soon as once more increase questions over his skill to ship below stress within the greatest Take a look at matches.
For as soon as, the effective margins went in opposition to South Africa, who received each knockout recreation of the final World Cup by some extent.
They face Eire in Dublin subsequent Saturday and can now seemingly want a favour from England, who tackle New Zealand earlier that very same day, if they’re to reclaim high spot within the southern hemisphere standings.
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Line-ups
France: Attissogbe; Grandidier-Nkanang, Gourgues, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Dupont, Lucu; Gros, Marchand, Falatea, Verhaeghe, Guillard, Cros, Woki, Alldritt.
Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Ollivon, Staniforth, Capilla, Desperes, Gailleton.
South Africa: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Hooker; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, van den Berg; Steenekamp, Wessels, T du Toit, De Jager, Nortje, PS du Toit, Kolisi, Wiese.
Replacements: Marx, Nche, Louw, Mostert, Hanekom, De Villiers, Reinach, Libbok.
Match officers
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England) and Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Tv Match Official (TMO): Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Foul Play Assessment Officer (FPRO): Andrew Jackson (England)
