The Boks are confident going into the Test against France after their 61-7 victory over Japan at Wembley in London on the weekend; a win that did come at a price due to the injury of loosehead prop Ox Nché. While the back-to-back World Champions are confident, for Les Bleus, this Test on their own turf will no doubt be personal, and they will see it as a matter of setting the record straight and making a big statement.

France will come out all guns blazing, as the last time the two teams met, the Boks claimed a 29-28 win in Saint-Denis during the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals in Paris.

Ox Nché. Photo: Morgan Piek

It was the first of three one-point wins on the bounce that ultimately saw the Springboks lift the Webb Ellis Trophy for a record fourth time.

Less than a year prior to the World Cup quarter-final, France managed to beat the Springboks 30-26 at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, in a Test where Pieter-Steph du Toit received a red card, and Kwagga Smith was sent to the naughty chair for ten minutes with a yellow card.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus warned that no matter how high their confidence is, playing against the French in their own backyard is always a beast of a different nature.

“We know France, and playing them away from home is a totally different ballgame,” said Erasmus.

“I remember in 2022. I wasn’t a water boy then; I was next to the field, and the passion, intensity, and pressure in that cauldron are unbelievable.

“We’ve got enough depth, quality, and experience mixed with some exciting youth, but when you play there, it really is a pressure cooker, and it gets to you. It did in 2022; we lost that one, Kwagga got a yellow, and Pieter-Steph a red.

“Obviously, we beat them in the World Cup, but we know how close that game was. So this is going to be a massive Test for us, and we still have Ireland and two others coming. In terms of personnel, we’re in a good space, but this will be a big step up from today and even from the incoming series against New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina.

“We’re building nicely, but pressure is another thing altogether, and we’ll feel that next week. Most of the guys have experienced the atmosphere there: the noise, the whistling, and how the French crowd supports their team. 

So we know what’s coming. “Like that game at Eden Park, sometimes you know what’s coming but still can’t stop it. So we’ll have to be really smart and physical this week to be ready for that game.”

Winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, who was man of the match against Japan, said Les Bleus will throw the kitchen sink at them, but the key will lie in preparing well for the Test against a tough and unpredictable opponent.

“Yeah, obviously the win was good - we’re going to have to prepare really well for France because they’ll definitely be coming for revenge after the World Cup. We just need to plan properly and stick to that plan.

“Coming back from injury, I knew there were two games outside the Test window, but if we prepare well for the upcoming matches, we can make it a really good Autumn Series.”

Saturday’s Test between France and the Springboks at Stade de France will kick off at 22:10.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh