Overview
- Boan Venter starts at loosehead for injured Ox Nche in just his sixth Test, packing down with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit.
- Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is retained at fly-half, Damian Willemse returns at fullback, and Cheslin Kolbe shifts back to wing.
- Rassie Erasmus will coach his 50th Test and says milestones will be acknowledged privately after the game.
- In-form Ethan Hooker and Kwagga Smith are omitted, with André Esterhuizen selected on the bench to cover centre and flank roles.
- The match kicks off at 22:10 SA time at the Stade de France on Saturday, live on SuperSport, in the first meeting since South Africa’s 29–28 World Cup quarterfinal win that has stirred French talk of revenge.