Nations Championship
France (21) 21
Tries: Grandidier-Nkanang, Attissogbe, Bielle-Biarrey Cons: Lucu (3)
South Africa (7) 19
Tries: Wessels, Reinach, Marx Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)
France held on to finish their five-match shedding run towards South Africa at Stade de France with an enthralling 21-19 victory in Paris.
The victory dents the world champions’ hopes of reaching the Nations Championship last and places Les Bleus in a powerful place to high the northern hemisphere standings.
The hosts, impressed by their captain Antoine Dupont, confirmed their class and ability to attain three tries in a frantic first half.
France’s again three of Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey all crossed in an exciting opening 40 minutes, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels scoring off the again of a maul for the guests.
The Springboks thought that they had a second attempt on the stroke of half-time however Kurt-Lee Arendse’s attempt was chalked off after he strayed marginally offside.
Quantity eight Jasper Wiese was proven a 20-minute pink card early within the second half – the third of 5 playing cards proven in an incident-packed recreation – for a harmful shoulder cost, however it had the alternative impact to derailing the world champions.
With South Africa’s set-piece energy proving an excessive amount of, substitute scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx scored to arrange an exciting finale.
Nonetheless, Manie Libbok missed the important conversion to Marx’s attempt that may have levelled the sport.
With South Africa pushing for a successful rating, Bielle-Biarrey produced an enormous defensive deal with to drive the ball free, earlier than Dupont, who was named participant of the match, gathered possession to assist seal the victory.
The outcome will come as a blow to each England and Eire, who’re in direct competitors with France for a spot within the Nations Championship last on the finish of the month.
Les Bleus, who’re six factors clear on the high of the northern hemisphere standings, now face Argentina subsequent Saturday, placing them in a powerful place to achieve the inaugural last at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, 29 November.