🔗 Share this article

Some victories deliver twofold weight in the message they convey. Within the flood of weekend Test matches, it was the Saturday evening result in Paris that will echo most enduringly across the rugby world. Not only the final score, but equally the style of victory. To suggest that the Springboks demolished a number of widely-held assumptions would be an modest description of the calendar.

Unexpected Turnaround

Discard the idea, for instance, that the French team would make amends for the injustice of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. The belief that entering the closing stages with a narrow lead and an extra man would translate into assumed success. Even in the absence of their key player their captain, they still had sufficient strategies to keep the big beasts under control.

Instead, it was a case of assuming victory prematurely. Having been behind on the scoreboard, the South African side with a player sent off finished by scoring 19 unanswered points, strengthening their status as a side who consistently save their best for the most demanding scenarios. If defeating the All Blacks by a large margin in September was a declaration, now came definitive evidence that the leading international squad are developing an more robust mentality.

Pack Power

Actually, Rassie Erasmus’s title-winning pack are beginning to make everyone else look laissez-faire by contrast. Scotland and England both had their periods of promise over the weekend but did not have the same earthmovers that systematically dismantled France to rubble in the last half-hour. A number of talented young France's pack members are coming through but, by the final whistle, the match was a mismatch in experience.

What was perhaps even more striking was the psychological resilience underpinning it all. In the absence of their lock forward – issued a 38th-minute straight red for a dangerous contact of the French full-back – the South Africans could potentially lost their composure. Instead they merely united and proceeded to taking the deflated home team to what an ex-France player described as “extreme physical pressure.”

Captaincy and Motivation

Post-game, having been carried around the venue on the powerful backs of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman to mark his hundredth Test, the South African skipper, the inspirational figure, once again highlighted how a significant number of his players have been required to conquer personal challenges and how he aspired his team would likewise continue to inspire people.

The ever-sage David Flatman also made an shrewd observation on television, stating that the coach's achievements more and more make him the rugby coaching equivalent of the legendary football manager. If South Africa do go on to win a third successive World Cup there will be complete assurance. In case they fail to achieve it, the clever way in which the mentor has refreshed a possibly veteran squad has been an exemplary model to other teams.

Emerging Talent

Look no further than his 23-year-old fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu who sprinted past for the late try that properly blew open the home defense. Or another half-back, another backline player with blistering pace and an even sharper vision for space. Undoubtedly it is beneficial to play behind a massive forward unit, with the inside back adding physicality, but the continuing evolution of the Springboks from intimidating giants into a side who can also display finesse and strike decisively is remarkable.

Glimpses of French Quality

This is not to imply that the French team were completely dominated, notwithstanding their limp finish. The wing's later touchdown in the right corner was a clear example. The forward dominance that engaged the Bok forwards, the excellent wide ball from the full-back and the try-scorer's execution into the sideline boards all displayed the characteristics of a side with considerable ability, even in the absence of Dupont.

However, that turned out to be inadequate, which is a sobering thought for all other nations. There is no way, for example, that Scotland could have trailed heavily to the world champions and mounted a comeback in the way they did against the All Blacks. Notwithstanding the red rose's late resurgence, there is a journey ahead before the national side can be certain of facing the South African powerhouses with all at stake.

European Prospects

Beating an developing Fijian side posed difficulties on Saturday although the next encounter against the New Zealand will be the contest that accurately reflects their autumn. The visitors are certainly vulnerable, notably absent their key midfielder in their center, but when it comes to taking their chances they are still a level above almost all the home unions.

Scotland were especially culpable of not finishing off the killing points and question marks still hang over the English side's perfect backline combination. It is acceptable finishing games strongly – and much preferable than fading in the closing stages – but their commendable undefeated streak this year has so far included just a single victory over top-drawer opposition, a close result over the French in the winter.

Future Prospects

Hence the weight of this coming Saturday. Analyzing the situation it would look like various alterations are anticipated in the team selection, with established stars coming back to the team. Up front, likewise, familiar faces should be included from the beginning.

Yet perspective matters, in rugby as in reality. From now until the next global tournament the {rest