Fourteen-man Springboks produce stirring second-half comeback to smash France

The Springboks played in the image of their captain Siya Kolisi by rising from the canvas to pummel France into submission with an emphatic victory that underlined their credentials as the best team in the world.

From being knocked down, before rising up to deliver final quarter knock-out blows to a French team that couldn’t cope with the world champions’ intensity, the Boks never panicked or wavered.

All the talk of “revenge” and being “robbed” of a World Cup title in 2023 rang even more hollow in an increasingly silent Stade de France as the Boks methodically dismantled Les Bleus.

This was no robbery. It was an assault under the lights in front of 80,000 people. The Boks took everything France could throw at them for an hour, overcame a red card for Lood de Jager, and silenced Paris with another final-quarter masterclass.

For all their possession and passion, France only led 14-13 at the break, despite having 66% of the ball. The Boks took the blows and waited. Like pythons, they slowly coiled around the unsuspecting Les Bleus and then started the constriction.

De Jager’s red card came just before halftime, suggesting that the world champions were set up to be finished off in the second half. Instead it was the opposite.

From the beginning of the second half to the hour mark, the Boks defended brilliantly, scrambled desperately at times and slowly bled the French of confidence. By the end, Les Bleus were rabble as the Boks scored 19 unanswered points in the final 20 minutes.

Kolisi sacrifice

Kolisi, celebrating his 100^th Test, put the team first by accepting that he needed to be substituted after De Jager’s red card to introduce hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen to plug a hole at centre and flank.

Esterhuizen was superb in both roles, showing the value of an experiment which started earlier this year and is paying off now.

Lock RG Snyman, who also entered the fray early in the second half for Eben Etzebeth played like a man possessed. He was almost certainly motivated due to the gloss taken off Kolisi’s night.

He did the only thing he could do. Make his captain and teammates proud of his performance.

Read more: Siya Kolisi’s long walk to becoming a Springbok Test centurion against all odds

Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored 17 points from a try, three conversions and two penalties, while there were also tries for scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, Esterhuizen and replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams.

This was a collective team performance though. No 8 Jasper Wiese carried and tackled himself to a standstill and hooker Malcolm Marx was colossal.

Three of South Africa’s tries were scored in the space of 13 minutes in the final quarter, as France crumbled under the never-say-die belligerence of this great Bok team.

The Boks were never out of touch of the lead, even though France led until the 64th minute after two first-half tries for wing Damian Penaud and two conversions and a penalty from fullback Thomas Ramos.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu landed two first-half penalties and converted Reinach’s fine solo try, but also missed three kicks on the night. No matter, it was enough to keep the Boks within striking range.

After a slew of penalties around the hour mark – France conceded 13 in total in the match – Esterhuizen scored from the back of a rolling maul. France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sin-binned moments before for a deliberate knock-on and was lucky referee Angus Gardner did not follow through with a penalty try.

The score, which went unconverted, put the Boks in the lead for the first time in the match – at 18-17 – and the possibility of another one-point win was on the cards.

Read more: Siya Kolisi’s long walk to becoming a Springbok Test centurion against all odds

With playing numbers even and France falling apart, the Boks kept turning the screw and from another maul close to the line, Williams scythed through a gap after a fine dummy, to score.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s conversion meant that the lead was eight points and France needed to score twice. They never came close.

Fittingly, it was Feinberg-Mngomezulu who had the final say when he scooted in for the team’s fourth try after the Boks had worked enough space to confirm their win with five minutes to go.

Fast France

Despite making a good start by winning the first aerial battle and France being forced deep, it was Les Bleus that had struck first.

It took only five minutes for right wing Penaud, a try-glutton of note, to pounce onto a Ramos cross-field kick to run in unopposed to set the crowd alight.  

Kurt-Lee Arendse was caught in no man’s land and could not turn quickly enough, having shot up in defence to cut off the passing lane.

France played well early on, being very direct and engaging the Boks in a battle for gain line momentum.

The home teams’ lineout was also a great attacking platform, although like so many other teams, they lost the scrum battle. Later on, they also lost the gain line contest.

France under pressure

While the Boks were rocked back early, they responded well and put France under pressure for the next 15 minutes.

In that period France gave away five penalties in succession as the Boks enjoyed all the momentum. Three penalties were for offsides – twice at a ruck and once with backline encroaching, once from a scrum and one for France captain Gaël Fickou taking Etzebeth out off the ball.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu had four shots at goal – three from about 50m on the angle and the other from 40m. He landed two to narrow the deficit.

But just as the Boks wrestled their way back into the match, Ramos and Penaud linked up for another try.

From a penalty, France put the ball into the corner. They won the lineout and moved the ball right where Ramos threw a lovely 20m pass off his left hand to give Penaud the space he needed to scamper into the corner.

The Boks though, worked their way back downfield and from another scrum penalty advantage they played quickly. Centre Damian de Allende won momentum on the advantage line and Reinach broke from the ruck, chipped ahead and scored. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted and it was a one-point game again.

De Jager’s red card followed on the stroke of halftime for a high, dangerous shot on Ramos. It was a shoulder blow delivered with force, but the 2.04m De Jager had a knee on the ground, he was so low.

Referee Gardner initially indicated it was a yellow card to his assistant referees but appeared to be talked into awarding a straight red, instead of sending the incident to the bunker.

For most teams, playing against such high-quality opposition, it could have been fatal. But these Boks are not “most teams”.

They are one of the best teams that has ever played Test rugby, not only for their skill, but for their mentality.

There was a real will to stay in the fight and to win it for their celebrated skipper.

As always, when it mattered most, they delivered. DM

Scorers:

France – Tries: Damian Penaud (2). Conversions: Thomas Ramos (2). Penalty: Ramos

South Africa – Tries: Cobus Reinach, André Esterhuizen, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3). Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)