Springboks beat France in Paris

South Africa scored four tries against France on Saturday evening to beat the winners of the Six Nations tournament 32–17 in Paris on Saturday, 8 November.

The showdown saw Springbok captain Siya Kolisi make his 100th Test match appearance, after winning the Castle Lager Rugby Championship earlier in the year.

France started strong, scoring a try in the fourth minute after Thomas Ramos lobbed the ball behind the South African defence, which Damian Penaud collected and dotted down.

The South Africans put their first points on the board through Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who converted two penalties in the ninth and twelfth minutes.

Despite this, the French continued to apply pressure, which paid off in the 26th minute when Penaud went over for his second in the corner, bringing France to 14 points and giving them an eight-point lead over the visitors.

However, the Boks hit back five minutes later when a chip from Cobus Reinach cleared the last man in the French defence, allowing him to collect the ball on the other side of the goal line and score.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted to bring the score to 14–13. However, the first-half drama was not over yet, as Lood de Jager received a permanent red card in the 38th minute after his shoulder made contact with Ramos’s head.

France started the second half with a penalty conversion from Ramos, bringing their score to 17. However, this would be the last time they would add to their tally in the game.

Despite being a man down, South Africa put on a masterclass in the final forty minutes.

The visitors took the lead for the first time in the 64th minute when Andre Esterhuizen scored just after France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey received a yellow card, bringing them down to 14 men.

Some quick thinking by Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams helped further South Africa’s lead six minutes later, bringing the score to 17–25 after Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted the kick.

The South African fly-half then put the game to bed in the 76th minute, scoring a try of his own, which he converted, handing the visitors the victory.

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus applauded his team’s captain for putting the team first and making way for Esterhuizen, who scored the first try of the second half.

“I want to say thank you to our captain, who was taken off because Andre [Esterhuizen] can play loose forward and centre, which was a tough call. But when I told him, he just took it on the chin and understood,” Erasmus said.

“That comes from the players understanding that it’s a 23-man effort, and the coaches made good plans, which made it easier for the players who came on from the bench.”