France 21-19 South Africa: Dupont Inspires Win in Paris
France beat South Africa 21-19 at Stade de France in the Nations Championship, ending a five-match losing run against the world champions. Antoine Dupont, named player of the match, set up tries before Les Bleus survived a Springboks scrum onslaught and five cards.
France beat South Africa 21-19 at Stade de France in Paris in the Nations Championship, ending a five-match losing run against the world champions. It was France 21-19 South Africa after a chaotic, card-filled contest.
The result dents the Springboks' hopes of reaching the Nations Championship final. It leaves France six points clear at the top of the northern hemisphere standings.
Dupont drives a fast start
Captain Antoine Dupont was named player of the match. Injuries to France's three first-choice fly-halves, Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack and Antoine Hastoy, left coach Fabien Galthie few options, so Dupont wore the number 10 shirt for the first time. He still lined up at scrum-half.
France scored three tries in a frantic first half. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang crossed in the corner after a clever move sent Kalvin Gourgues through a gap.
Dupont then hit a left-footed 50:22 kick while South Africa lock Lood de Jager sat in the sin-bin for a high tackle. The ball cannoned off Gourgues' head and Theo Attissogbe scored. A grubber kick from Dupont on his right foot sent Louis Bielle-Biarrey racing over.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels pulled one back for South Africa from a maul. The Springboks thought they had a second try on the stroke of half-time, but Kurt-Lee Arendse's effort was chalked off for being marginally offside.
Cards and a scrum fightback
Five cards were shown in total. Number eight Jasper Wiese took a 20-minute red card early in the second half for a dangerous shoulder charge. It did not derail the visitors, who took advantage when Grandidier-Nkanang was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus had swapped his entire front row an hour before kick-off, and changed it again five minutes before half-time. In the second half the Springboks turned to their scrum. A run of penalties ended with French replacement prop Regis Montagne yellow carded.
Replacement scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx scored to set up a thrilling finish. Manie Libbok missed the conversion of Marx's try that would have levelled the game.
France had to cling on for the final 10 minutes. Bielle-Biarrey made a huge defensive tackle to force the ball loose, and Dupont gathered it to help seal the win.
France's scorers were Grandidier-Nkanang, Attissogbe and Bielle-Biarrey, with three conversions from Lucu. South Africa's tries came from Wessels, Reinach and Marx, with two conversions from Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
What it means for the final
The defeat is a blow to England and Ireland too, who are competing with France for a place in the final at the end of the month. France face Argentina next Saturday. The inaugural final takes place at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, November 29.
