Springboks brace for physical France encounter

Reigning World Cup Champions South Africa are gearing up for a French team still hurting from the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal defeat in Paris.

The Springboks started their five-test tour of Europe with an emphatic victory over Japan in London last weekend.

But the Tricolors, who desperately want revenge following their one-point defeat at the Stade de France in 2023, will pose a much bigger threat on Saturday.

A statement win, scoring nine tries while limiting Japan to a single converted score on a rainy London night, was what the Springboks needed before facing France.

Although coach Rassie Erasmus believes his side should have scored more, he was content with the players’ accuracy and attitude.

And Boks number eight, Jasper Wiese, says they’ll have to duplicate that attitude and physicality in Paris on Saturday against a French side, still hurting from their 2023 World Cup loss.

“France have made a statement in the last couple of years with the physicality and how big they are, so I think on Saturday is going to be the same again, two big packs at it against each other. We are looking forward to the challenge. We analysed them this week. The French has a big team, and I think that is definitely where it comes to both forwards as to who’s going to be dominated, so I think all of us are looking forward to that,” says Wiese.

Springbok lock, Lood de Jager, believes that the French are a good, well-balanced team that is physical and confrontational in nature.

“Every test match is a big challenge for us a team and for each individual personally. So, this week, the French are very good team, and we know it’s going to be a big challenge, and we are looking towards to that like every test match,” says de Jager.

With the French still licking their wounds, the Boks realise they can’t rest on their laurels. But flyhalf, Mannie Libbok, says they are not bothered by the psychological war playing out.

“For us, we just focus on ourselves and what we want to do on the field, giving the best for your team and your country as always. To do our best to get the result at the end of the day. The past encounters we had against France were always tough, the quality team that they are, our target is to come here and play against them, and it’s always tough thinking of the quality side that they are,” says Libbok.

To add further spice to Saturday’s match is the fact that France have now dropped down to number five on the world rankings, and they’ll have a point to prove against the world’s best.