South Africa lost 21-19 to France at the Stade de France on Friday 13 November in round 5 of the Nations Championship. It was their first defeat to Les Bleus in Paris since 2005. The Springboks trailed 21-7 at half-time and played the last 37 minutes with 14 men after Jasper Wiese was sent off, but they won the second half 12-0 and finished two points short.
How South Africa lost it, then nearly won it
Rassie Erasmus’s side caused most of their own problems. Lock Lood de Jager was yellow-carded in the 12th minute, and France scored their first try two minutes later. By the 31st minute Les Bleus had three tries. Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ try in the 29th minute, converted by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, was all South Africa had to show at the break.
Then No 8 Wiese was red-carded in the 43rd minute. With 14 men, the Springboks played their best rugby of the night. Cobus Reinach scored a minute after coming off the bench in the 50th minute, and Malcolm Marx crossed in the 71st to make it 21-19. No conversion followed.
They came close to more. Pieter-Steph du Toit was held up over the line by Antoine Dupont in the 65th minute. France also left the door open when centre Kalvin Gourgues missed a penalty shot at goal, so South Africa only ever needed one score.
South Africa made 598 metres to France’s 309, carried 150 times to France’s 112 and made 14 offloads to six. They won every scrum and every lineout. They lost because of the two cards and 11 penalties conceded.
South Africa player ratings
15 Damian Willemse – 6.5
Made 83 metres from 15 carries, more than anyone else in the match, and two offloads. But he knocked on too many times, and several promising South African attacks ended in his hands.
14 Kurt-Lee Arendse – 6
Made 38 metres and a line break but conceded two penalties.
13 Jesse Kriel – 8
Made 81 metres, two offloads, a line break and eight tackles. He got South Africa going forward again after half-time.
12 Damian de Allende – 7
Made 15 carries and 15 tackles, the most tackles in his team. Two penalties conceded keep him off an eight.
11 Ethan Hooker – 8
Made two line breaks, beat four defenders (a team-high), made 47 metres and 12 tackles, and won a turnover. He was a threat every time he got the ball.
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 6
Kicked both of his conversions and made 12 tackles, a line break and 32 metres. But France’s three first-half tries came on his watch, and he made only seven kicks from hand to Dupont’s 21. He was off the field when Marx scored, and came back on for Hooker in the 76th minute.
9 Morne van den Berg – 6
Won two turnovers and made 42 passes before Reinach replaced him at 49 minutes.
1 Gerhard Steenekamp – 5
Quiet in 35 minutes before the whole front row was changed.
2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 6
Scored South Africa’s first-half try and won a turnover in 35 minutes.
3 Thomas du Toit – 6
Won two turnovers in 35 minutes.
4 Lood de Jager – 4
Won three lineouts, but his 12th-minute yellow card started France’s run. Franco Mostert replaced him at 57 minutes.
5 Ruan Nortje – 8
Played all 80 minutes, won five lineouts and made 11 tackles, 40 metres, two offloads and a line break. He was South Africa’s best forward.
6 Siya Kolisi – 7
Made 51 metres, a line break and 10 tackles before going off at 57 minutes.
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 8
Carried 18 times, more than anyone else on the pitch, for 59 metres, and added 11 tackles and a turnover. He was a Dupont hand away from scoring in the 65th minute.
8 Jasper Wiese – 5
Made 29 metres from eight carries and beat two defenders before his red card in the 43rd minute. That left his teammates chasing the game a man down, and it cost him heavily in the marks.
Replacements
16 Malcolm Marx – 7 – Scored the try that made it 21-19 and played 45 minutes.
17 Ox Nche – 6 – Made 18 metres and five tackles in 45 minutes.
18 Wilco Louw – 5 – Made one tackle and conceded one penalty in 45 minutes.
19 Franco Mostert – 6 – Won four lineouts in 23 minutes.
20 Cameron Hanekom – 7 – Made 35 metres from seven carries and beat three defenders in a 15-minute cameo.
21 Paul de Villiers – 6 – Made 10 metres from five carries and an offload.
22 Cobus Reinach – 7 – Scored within a minute of coming on and made 40 passes to speed up the game.
23 Manie Libbok – 5.5 – Made three passes and four carries in 13 minutes. A quiet cameo, though South Africa scored their late try while he was on.
South Africa v France: key numbers
| Stat | South Africa | France |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 55% | 45% |
| Metres made | 598 | 309 |
| Carries | 150 | 112 |
| Offloads | 14 | 6 |
| Defenders beaten | 33 | 19 |
| Penalties conceded | 11 | 14 |
| Lineout success | 100% | 66.7% |
| Cards | 1 yellow, 1 red | 3 yellow |
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