After a poor week for South Africa rugby following the Springboks’ and SA ‘A’ sides’ defeats to Ireland and Munster respectively, the clash against France in Marseille is tour defining.

This was always going to be a tough tour with fixtures against Ireland, France, Italy and England. A three out of four win/loss ratio in the Tests would be an acceptable return, particularly if there is some positive game and squad development along the way.

After the 19-16 defeat against Ireland at the Aviva last weekend though, the Boks showed nothing new on the back of losing. In fact, the performance only served to highlight some glaring issues, most notably poor goal-kicking and a lack of cutting edge on attack. The latter is something that has plagued them all season.

The Boks’ rolling maul – not for the first time in 2022 – was shut down by Ireland, therefore taking away another scoring weapon. It’s clear that opponents have worked out some of the Boks’ methods and it’s time for coach Jacques Nienaber and company to demonstrate that they are capable of finding solutions.

epa10288887 France’s Cyril Baille (C) in action during the Rugby Union Autumn International Test match between France and Australia in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, 05 November 2022. EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

Without the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over through goal-kicks, the inability to make the most of territory and possession and a limping maul, it’s actually testament to the Boks that they came so close against the world’s No 1 ranked team last week.

But ultimately they lost against an Ireland side that didn’t deliver an exceptional performance either.

France are a different challenge altogether with their varied and nuanced kicking game and legion of game breakers.

Coach Fabien Galthié has married French flair with a South African-esque dose of pragmatism, and the combination is highly effective.

France have a strong set piece, suffocating defence thanks to the influence of the brilliant Shaun Edwards and the vision and skill of scrumhalf Antoine Dupont to pull the strands together. It’s an intoxicating mix.

Ireland vs South Africa. South Africa’s Damian Willemse tackled by Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland 2022 Bank of Ireland Nations Series, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland – 05 Nov 2022 (Photo by Dan Sheridan/INPHO/Shutterstock/BackpagePix)

And it’s effective. France are currently on a record 11-match winning streak, which included a 40-25 victory over the All Blacks last November and a 2022 Six Nations Grand Slam. This is not a flaky team any longer.

But the Boks have won the last seven meetings between the sides, their last defeat coming in Toulouse in 2009.

That is history though. The Springboks and France have not met since 2018, which feels like a lifetime ago, and in many ways it is because there are only 13 Bok survivors from that encounter.

South Africa won that game 29-26 in Paris, which gave them the perfect finale in 2018 before heading into a World Cup year. We all know what happened next.

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

In many ways Saturday’s meeting at the wonderful Stade Vélodrome is a scene-setter for next year’s World Cup in France. The Boks and Les Blues could clash at the quarterfinal stage, or they could meet in the final.

Despite home ground advantage, a record winning streak and a settled team that plays sumptuous rugby, France attempted to deflect the not unreasonable idea that they are comfortable favourites for the clash.

“The notion of favourites is so subjective,” France team manager Raphaël Ibañez told reporters this week.

“We leave other nations the statute of favourites. They’re just words, what’s important is action.”

France’s Thibaud Flament and teammates celebrates after winning the Rugby Union Autumn International Test match between France and Australia in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, 05 November 2022. (Photo: EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON)

Unlocking France

It really is a concern for the Boks how they will unlock the miserly French defence, which Edwards has turned into steel. South Africa’s approach of barging through opponents with all the subtlety of a Rassie Erasmus video on refereeing, won’t pose enough difficult questions of the French.

The Boks will have to find another way to break down the blue defensive wall, but on the evidence of this season, they simply haven’t had the nous to do that.

Still, there is always a nagging feeling that the Boks are one good pass away from tearing sides apart. With finishers such as Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse in the mix, they have players who can defy any defence with enough space and time.

The return of fullback Willie le Roux to the starting lineup means the Boks have their most creative defensive lock-picker on the field from the beginning. And they have an extra left-footed kicker for both attack and defence.

Also, the forced absence of No 8 Jasper Wiese, who failed his concussion protocols, means a start for Kwagga Smith. This could be a stroke of unplanned good fortune for the Boks, because Smith’s speed and explosiveness could pose more problems for France’s defence than the more direct Wiese.

“Everybody’s trying to unlock France at this stage, but nobody’s found the recipe,” Nienaber told the media this week. “That’s the challenge for us as coaches and players.

“They’re quite a stingy team, they don’t allow teams to get close to their half with their kicking game. When you do get there, you are a really well-organised defensive side.”

Coming the other way, France are an exciting attacking force spearheaded by Dupont, who is accessorised with class jewels such as flyhalf Romain Ntamack and wing Damian Penaud.

Nienaber has opted for a more conventional 5/3 split on the bench between forwards and backs this week, which means that Manie Libbok is set for a Test debut.

The Stormers pivot kicks well above 80% in the United Rugby Championship and also has the ability to coax some excellent attacking options from his outside backs.

Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach is also set for a cameo off the bench. The French-based halfback is an all-round ball player who is just the right type of player to ask tougher and more unpredictable questions of the French defence.

Clearly the Bok management gave this selection a lot of thought due to the specific requirements needed to break the French down.

Now, the players have to go out and execute under pressure and under the cloud of knowing that another defeat would plunge this tour into despair with two weeks more to go. DM

Teams:

France
15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Yoram Moefana, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Charles Ollivon, 6 Anthony Jelonch; 5 Thibaud Flament, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.

Reserves: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Sipili Falatea, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Bastien Chalureau, 21 Sekou Macalou, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Matthieu Jalibert.

South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche

Reserves: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Deon Fourie 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Makazole Mapimpi.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England) & Christophe Ridley (England)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)