Springboks: Recent record against France under threat?

Although France have established themselves as one of the most dangerous teams in international rugby in recent times, their record against the Springboks certainly doesn’t reflect that.

Between 2011 and 2009, France managed to beat the Springboks on six occasions in nine Test matches, while one game was drawn.

However, there has been a complete reversal in fortunes since then, with South Africa emerging victorious in nine out of the last 10 Tests, including the thrilling 2023 World Cup quarter-final win by one point.

There are currently 5.60 rankings points between the No 1-ranked Springboks and fourth-placed France, but an extremely competitive battle is expected at the Stade de France on Friday.

Springboks not buying into favourites tag against France

Earlier this week, Rassie Erasmus said both teams were having to contend with injury absentees, and that there was no clear difference on who should be seen as favourites.

“We’re at the back end of our season, and we’ve got a maximum of three games left,” Erasmus continued. “I think June is their window where they’re really match-fit, energetic and they’re not punch drunk.

“We feel at the end of the season we really have to graft – us, New Zealand, Australia, maybe Japan, Argentina. And they are building up to these matches, and then they have the Six Nations in two months’ time.

“But I sometimes struggle to understand why, if we’re clear favourites, it doesn’t make a difference, or when they’re clear favourites, it doesn’t make a difference.

“So, when it comes to being the favourites, they might think they are, and we might think we are. The only bad thing about thinking you’re the favourites is you might become complacent, and we are definitely not complacent for this game.”

Kick off is at 22:10 (SA time).

HOW THE TEAMS WILL LINE UP

France: 15 Théo Attissogbe, 14 Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, 13 Kalvin Gourgues, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Antoine Dupont, 9 Maxime Lucu (captain), 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Cameron Woki, 6 François Cros, 5 Mickaël Guillard, 4 Florian Verhaeghe, 3 Sipili Falatea, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Régis Montagne, 19 Charles Ollivon, 20 Tom Staniforth, 21 Esteban Capilla, 22 Axel Desperes, 23 Emilien Gailleton.

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.