The French team suffered a heavy defeat (17-32) on Saturday evening at the Stade de France against South Africa. Two years after their elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup, Les Bleus hoped to finally get their revenge. But, despite having a numerical advantage for more than half the match, they were unable to contain the power and discipline of the South African world champions.
An ideal start for Les Bleus
The match had started in the best possible way. In the 4th minute, Damian Penaud opened the scoring after a pinpoint cross-field kick from Thomas Ramos. The Bordeaux winger repeated the feat a little later (27th minute) at the end of a fine team move down the right flank. Thanks to this brace, Penaud surpassed Serge Blanco and became, with 40 tries, the all-time leading try scorer for the French national team.
But the Springboks responded quickly. Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted two French penalties (10th, 12th minutes), then scrum-half Cobus Reinach sliced through the French defense before scoring a cheeky try just before halftime (33rd minute). At that point, the score remained close: 14-13.
A turning point before halftime
The match turned just before halftime when a shoulder tackle by South African lock Lood de Jager on Thomas Ramos resulted in a red card. Reduced to 14 men for the entire second half, the Springboks seemed at the mercy of a well-executed French team.
However, despite this numerical advantage, Les Bleus accumulated inaccuracies: knock-ons, inaccurate passes, and poor decision-making in scoring positions. The French attack never managed to capitalize on its territorial dominance.
The Springboks finish like a steamroller
Fatigue and a lack of discipline ultimately got the better of the French team. Reduced to 14 men after Louis Bielle-Biarrey received a yellow card (64th minute) for a deliberate knock-on, Les Bleus crumbled in the final quarter of an hour.
The South Africans scored three tries in quick succession: Andre Esterhuizen from a maul (65th), Grant Williams after a dummy pass (72nd), then Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, on a perfectly orchestrated collective action (77th).
A bitter defeat for the French team.
The final score of 17-32 seems harsh but reflects the Springboks' strategic superiority. The French lacked consistency and composure in key moments.
The South Africans, for their part, confirmed their status as a world reference, led by an exemplary Siya Kolisi in his 100th cap.
With less than two years to go until the 2027 World Cup in Australia, this defeat reminds France of the scale of the work that still needs to be done…
