Overview
- Lock Lood de Jager was shown a straight red after a TMO review just before half-time, leaving South Africa a man down for the entire second half.
- Andre Esterhuizen, Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored after the break, adding to Cobus Reinach’s first-half try to close out the win at the Stade de France.
- Damian Penaud’s early brace put France ahead and made him his country’s all-time leading try-scorer, with Thomas Ramos adding conversions and a penalty.
- France’s discipline faltered as Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, and the Springboks’ scrum and maul pressure turned momentum.
- The result keeps South Africa top of the World Rugby rankings and extends their lead over the chasing pack.