🔗 Share this article

Certain wins carry dual weight in the lesson they communicate. Within the flurry of weekend rugby Tests, it was the Saturday evening outcome in Paris that will resonate most enduringly across both hemispheres. Not merely the final score, but equally the style of victory. To claim that South Africa shattered a number of widely-held theories would be an oversimplification of the rugby year.

Surprising Comeback

So much for the theory, for instance, that the French team would make amends for the disappointment of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. The belief that entering the closing stages with a narrow lead and an additional player would translate into certain victory. Even in the absence of their star man Antoine Dupont, they still had ample resources to contain the strong rivals under control.

On the contrary, it was a case of counting their poulets too early. Having been 17-13 down, the 14-man Boks concluded with registering 19 consecutive points, reinforcing their standing as a team who consistently save their best for the toughest scenarios. If overpowering New Zealand in Wellington in the last quarter was a message, this was clear demonstration that the world’s No 1 side are building an more robust mentality.

Set-Piece Superiority

In fact, Rassie Erasmus’s title-winning pack are starting to make everyone else look laissez-faire by contrast. Scotland and England each enjoyed their promising spells over the recent fixtures but possessed nothing like the same dominant forwards that thoroughly overwhelmed France to ruins in the last half-hour. Several up-and-coming young France's pack members are coming through but, by the final whistle, Saturday night was men against boys.

What was perhaps even more striking was the psychological resilience driving it all. Without their lock forward – shown a red card in the first half for a dangerous contact of Thomas Ramos – the South Africans could might well have lost their composure. Instead they just circled the wagons and began taking the disheartened home team to what one former French international referred to as “the hurt locker.”

Leadership and Inspiration

Following the match, having been borne aloft around the Stade de France on the powerful backs of two key forwards to mark his 100th cap, the Springbok captain, the inspirational figure, repeatedly stressed how many of his squad have been required to conquer personal challenges and how he aspired his squad would in the same way continue to encourage people.

The insightful David Flatman also made an shrewd observation on television, stating that his results increasingly make him the rugby coaching equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson. If South Africa manage to claim a third straight world title there will be absolute certainty. Even if they fail to achieve it, the clever way in which Erasmus has rejuvenated a experienced roster has been an exemplary model to everyone.

New Generation

Take for example his 23-year-old fly-half the newcomer who sprinted past for the closing score that decisively broke the French windows. And also the scrum-half, a further playmaker with lightning acceleration and an even sharper vision for space. Naturally it helps to operate behind a gargantuan pack, with André Esterhuizen adding physicality, but the continuing evolution of the South African team from intimidating giants into a side who can also display finesse and strike decisively is hugely impressive.

Home Side's Moments

This is not to imply that the French team were totally outclassed, in spite of their weak ending. Their winger's additional score in the wing area was a good illustration. The power up front that tied in the visiting eight, the glorious long pass from the playmaker and Penaud’s finishing dive into the sideline boards all exhibited the hallmarks of a side with significant talent, without their star man.

Yet that turned out to be inadequate, which truly represents a humbling reality for competing teams. It would be impossible, for example, that the visitors could have fallen behind by 17 points to the Springboks and mounted a comeback in the way they did against the All Blacks. Notwithstanding the red rose's strong finish, there is a distance to travel before Steve Borthwick’s squad can be assured of competing with the world's top team with all at stake.

Home Nations' Tests

Defeating an Pacific Island team proved tricky enough on Saturday although the upcoming showdown against the All Blacks will be the contest that properly defines their end-of-year series. New Zealand are not invincible, notably absent Jordie Barrett in their center, but when it comes to converting pressure into points they remain a cut above most the northern hemisphere teams.

The Thistles were especially culpable of not finishing off the decisive blows and question marks still surround England’s optimal back division. It is all very well finishing games strongly – and infinitely better than fading in the closing stages – but their admirable undefeated streak this year has so far included just a single victory over elite-level teams, a close result over France in earlier in the year.

Looking Ahead

Thus the significance of this coming Saturday. Interpreting the signals it would seem several changes are anticipated in the team selection, with experienced individuals being reinstated to the lineup. Among the forwards, similarly, regular starters should be included from the beginning.

Yet everything is relative, in competition as in life. From now until the next global tournament the {rest