France Edges South Africa 21-19 to End Five-Match Losing Streak

OPA WIRE, Nov 13 (OPA) — France built a commanding first-half lead in Paris on Saturday, inspired by captain Antoine Dupont. The hosts scored three first-half tries through their back three, with Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey all crossing the try line during an intense opening 40 minutes. South Africa responded through Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who scored off the back of a maul, before Dupont guided the French attack despite playing out of position.

Injuries to France's three first-choice fly-halves, Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack, and Antoine Hastoy, forced coach Fabien Galthie to deploy his talismanic scrum-half Dupont at number 10. Despite the tactical shift, the hosts maintained control through clever kicking and attacking execution. South Africa answered with physical set-piece power, as replacement scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx scored in the second half to set up a tense finale.

South Africa lost number eight Jasper Wiese to a 20-minute red card early in the second half for a tucked-shoulder charge. However, the world champions capitalized on Grandidier-Nkanang's sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, grinding their way back into the contest through scrum dominance. Replacement France prop Regis Montagne received a yellow card during a chaotic period as the hosts were left clinging to their lead in the final 10 minutes.

Manie Libbok missed a vital conversion to Marx's try that would have levelled the score for the Springboks. Bielle-Biarrey produced a crucial defensive play late in the match to force the ball loose, allowing Dupont to gather possession and seal the victory. Les Bleus now hold a six-point lead at the top of the northern hemisphere standings and face Argentina next Saturday.