Rugby: in pain, XV of France puts an end to its black series against South Africa

The Blues came to the end of the defending world champions (30-26), Saturday at the Vélodrome stadium. The men of Fabien Galkié have been undefeated since twelve games.

by Valentin Baudry (with AFP)

The hunting board is now complete: the French team led by Fabien Galkié beat all the major nations of Rugby to XV. In a Vélodrome de Marseille stadium on closed counters, the Blues ripped off the victory (30-26) against the South Africans, reigning world champions, Saturday November 12.

From Ireland to England, via New Zealand, no nation is resistant to the French, tomb in just one year from the nine other members of the world top 10. Not even the Springboks, their black animals. The Blues hadn’t beat them since November 9, 2009, a series of seven matters without success.

By offering themselves the South Africans, the men of Fabien Galkié remain undefeated since November 6, 2021, or twelve victories of rank. Enough to make France one of the big favorites of the World Cup, which will take place from September 8 to October 28, 2023, at home. 2>

concussion and boxes

Before kick -off on Saturday, the tricolor captain Antoine Dupont and his family expected a muscular meeting, but undoubtedly not to so much commitment from their opponents. At the 12 ^{e minute, Pieter-Steph du roof melted on Rochelais Jonathan Danty, receiving in stride the first red card of the game, synonymous with final expulsion. The three-quarter French had to go out on a concussion protocol. Four other players will know the same fate during the match.}

Always in the first period, the Toulousain rear Thomas Ramos showed a stable and precise foot, inscribing three penalties and transforming the test of Cyril Baille (22 ^{e ). Immed, shortly after by the South African Cheslin Kolbe after the test of his captain, Siya Kolisi (30 e ).}

At the break, the Blues led 16 to 10. But shortly after returning from the locker room, things were spoiled. Antoine Dupont was in his turn guilty of an ugly outing – air this time – on Cheslin Kolbe, in the heart of the 22 meters French. The English referee Wayne Barnes waited to view the images before sanctioning it with a red card.

the French Antoine Dupont tackles the South African Cheslin Kolbe in full flight during the match between France and South Africa in Marseille, November 12, 2022. Daniel Cole/AP

The two teams given to the same level and the Blues cornered without their melee half, the Springboks took the opportunity to chain the offensives to take The advantage on a trial of Kurt-Lee Arendse, transformed by Faf de Klerk (53 e ).

In a stifling end of the match, Thomas Ramos and his foot kept the Froza afloat, supported by an excellent tricolor defense. The South Africans, reduced to thirteen after the yellow card of Deon Fourie (70 e ), folded.

A few minutes from the end, the trial of the Sipili Falatea pillar (74 e ) will allow the XV of France to resume the ascendant. Despite Boks’s challenges, it will finally be validated and the Blues will win on the wire, as was the case last week against Australia.

The third and last match of the fall tour will oppose the troops of Fabien Galkié on November 20 to the XV of Japan, in Toulouse. In the event of a new victory, the Tricolores will end their year 2022 undefeated. A feat at their height.