France hold off South Africa after Dupont and Lucu switch roles in Paris
France scored three first-half tries and protected a narrowing lead to beat the world champions 21–19 in the Nations Championship.
France picked Antoine Dupont at fly-half against South Africa, then spent much of their 21–19 victory using him in the role he knows best. With several fly-halves injured, coach Fabien Galthié paired Dupont with Maxime Lucu at Stade de France on Friday 13 November. The two regularly swapped duties, according to Reuters, and France scored all their points before half-time. The Springboks closed to within two points but could not find a late winner.
It was France’s first win over South Africa at the ground since 2005. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Théo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored the hosts’ tries, with Lucu converting all three. South Africa had a first-half try from Jan-Hendrik Wessels and added two through Cobus Reinach and Malcolm Marx after the interval. France started the second half 21–7 ahead and finished it without adding a point.
How France opened up the game
South Africa lost Lood de Jager to a yellow card for a high tackle on Lucu in the first half. France scored twice while he was off. In the build-up to the second try, Dupont kicked from inside his own half into touch inside South Africa’s 22 after the ball bounced. That gave France the throw at an attacking lineout. For the third try, he sent a low kick towards the corner and Bielle-Biarrey reached it first, according to SA Rugby’s match report.
After the break, South Africa found territory through scrum penalties and kept France under pressure. Their third try left an opportunity to level the match, but Manie Libbok missed the conversion. South Africa still pressed for a winning score in the final minute. The competition’s report credited Bielle-Biarrey with the tackle that forced a turnover and Dupont with gathering the ball. The Springboks travel to Dublin to play Ireland on 21 November.
Analysis — The value of having two organisers
The position switch let Dupont and Lucu make decisions from different places. Dupont could get to the ball quickly at the base of a ruck, while Lucu could receive it further out and move play towards the wings. The hosts also found a way to use both players’ kicking without asking either to handle every phase. That flexibility mattered in the first half, when a penalty or a kick into space could give France an attacking position near the try line.
The second half showed how quickly that freedom can disappear. South Africa’s scrum kept France defending and made it difficult to play from the same positions. The stop in the final minute mattered as much as any of the first-half kicks. It came from a wing stepping forward under pressure, with Dupont close enough to turn the loose ball into possession.