France went from “full control” to utter chaos, “disintegrating” in the second half to lose 32-17 to a 14-man South Africa. Les Bleus held a man advantage for 40 minutes but “cracked under pressure,” committing a “succession of reckless infringements” that the “ruthless” Springboks “punished” to complete a “remarkable comeback.”
The day started with “irresistible” French flair. Damian Penaud scored twice to become his country’s all-time leading try-scorer. This, combined with Lood de Jager’s red card, had the Stade de France anticipating a famous win.
However, the second half was a story of French collapse. They missed “three clear chances” (according to coach Fabien Galthié) and then their discipline fell apart. A “costly yellow card” to Louis Bielle-Biarrey was the final nail.
The Boks, showing “iron discipline” and “sheer physicality,” “overwhelmed” the “rattled” hosts. Tries from André Esterhuizen and Grant Williams swung the momentum, before Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu sealed the win with a try and conversion.
Rassie Erasmus praised his “wiser, calmer” team, who “absorbed early pressure” and then “overwhelmed” their opponents in a “bruising” encounter.