Tries from André Esterhuizen and Grant Williams spearheaded a spectacular South African comeback as the 14-man Springboks “punished every mistake” to beat France 32-17. The world champions were down a man for 40 minutes after Lood de Jager’s red card but turned the game around when French discipline “disintegrated.” The Boks’ power and clinical finishing proved too much for a rattled French side.
The match began as a potential French party. Damian Penaud crossed the line twice, surpassing Serge Blanco’s record to become his country’s top try-scorer. With a man advantage following De Jager’s dismissal, Les Bleus seemed destined to avenge their painful World Cup exit.
However, the second half was a masterclass in composure from the Springboks. They absorbed French pressure and waited for their moment. That moment came when France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, stupidly erasing his team’s numerical advantage. The Springboks, as coach Rassie Erasmus noted, were “calmer” and “wiser” in their approach.
They immediately opted for a lineout from a penalty, and their faith was rewarded as the pack drove Esterhuizen over for their second try. With the French defence “splintered,” Williams sensed his opportunity, darting through a gap to score again, swinging the momentum entirely in South Africa’s favor and silencing the home crowd.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who had been flawless with his boot, then sealed the “remarkable comeback” with a try in the corner, which he converted himself. The victory, built on the back of tries from Reinach, Esterhuizen, Williams, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu, underscored South Africa’s champion mentality.