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Turn your mind back to Saturday 17 June 1995 – Kings Park Stadium in Durban – the rain was torrential before the start of the 1995 Rugby World Cup semi-final between South Africa and France.
There was talk that due to the amount of rain and the waterlogged field, that the game could be called off – and if that happened, France would advance to the World Cup final due to the French having a better points-difference than the Springboks.
But we all know how that turned out! The teams took to the swimming pool – I mean field – and the Boks prevailed 19-15 with the only try of the match coming from flanker Ruben Kruger for the Boks.
The Boks have faced off against the French on 26 occasions and have come out on top in 15 of those games, with nine losses and two draws. Astoundingly, the first time the teams faced each other was only in 1992, at the Stade de Gerland where the Boks prevailed 20-15.
The last three matches between the sides has all been in France, with South Africa winning two from three. In 2017, the Boks triumphed 18-17 and 29-26 in 2018 at the Stade de France while the last match, at Stade Velodrome in 2022, France won 30-26.
Tomorrow’s quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup between France and South Africa takes place at Stade de France, where the Springboks have France five times and won three times. Their only two losses came in 2001 and 2005, with their victories coming in 2013, 2017 and 2018.
The biggest victory for the Boks was in 2013, where they won 19-10 while the French’s biggest margin was 20-10 in 2001. South Africa have won seven of the last eight encounters against the French, however, France have won 28 of their last 34 games with their last defeat, a shock 25-21 defeat to Scotland, coming in August.
Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus have shown some real tactical nous over the last few years, thinking of their 7-1 bench split, their traffic lights from the coaches box and the somewhat strange selections they have conjured up of late, including this match in which they have chosen to go with Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok as the halfback pairing with Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard on the bench.
This selection, along with Damien Willemse at fullback and Willie le Roux on the bench, that the South African brains trust are looking to play the French at their own game, run them ragged and then bring on the experienced folk to close out the game.
Unless the Boks implode on the day, or the French have a blinder like they did against the All Blacks a few World Cups back, then I think the Boks should take this one by four points.
Holding thumbs….
