Springboks v Les Bleus: By the numbers

FRANCE v SOUTH AFRICA – STADE DE FRANCE – KO 10.10pm (SAST)

Referee

Angus Gardner (Australia)

Test debut: 29 November, 2011 – Papua New Guinea 78-3 Vanuatu

Tests as referee: 54

• Angus Gardner will take charge of this fixture for the second time but first on French soil, having been in the middle for South Africa’s 35-12 victory in Johannesburg in June 2017.

• France lost their first four Tests with Gardner as referee, a 23-21 win over Argentina at Rugby World Cup 2019 the first of four consecutive wins that followed.

• Les Bleus have a W1, L1 record with the Australia in the middle in 2025, beating Ireland 42-27 in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations before a 29-19 loss to New Zealand in July.

• South Africa are on a four-match winning streak with Gardner in charge, dating back to a 13-12 loss to Wales in July 2022.

• This includes a 67-30 victory over Argentina in The Rugby Championship in September.

• South Africa’s record overall is W7, L5 in matches refereed by Gardner.

• This is Gardner’s sixth Test of the year, his first – that Ireland v France game in March – saw him become the first Australian to reach 50 Tests in the middle.

• He has also overseen England’s 35-12 victory over Argentina in July and Tonga’s 30-16 defeat of Samoa in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2025 in Nuku’alofa.

• Gardner refereed the Munster v Argentina XV fixture in Limerick on 1 November.

Head-to-head

Played: 46 – South Africa leads 28-12 with six draws

Points for: France 720/South Africa 994 (Avg. score 15-21)

Highest score: France 36 (36-26 on 24 June, 2006)/South Africa 52 (52-10 on 22 November, 1997)

Biggest winning margin: 20 (30-10 on 9 November, 2002)/South Africa 42 (52-10 on 22 November, 1997)

First met: 11 January, 1913 – South Africa 38-5 France – Bordeaux

Last met: 15 October, 2023 – RWC 2023 – South Africa 29-28 France – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Head-to-head notes

• France and South Africa meet for the first time since the Springboks won an epic Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-final, 29-28 at the Stade de France.

• All three of France’s tries were scored in the first half and by front-row forwards, prop Cyril Baille touching down either side of an effort from hooker Peato Mauvaka.

• Thomas Ramos converted two of the tries and slotted a penalty as Les Bleus led 22-19 at half-time.

• Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe crossed in the first half for South Africa, Manie Libbok converting twice.

• Ramos kicked a couple more penalties after the break but Eben Etzebeth’s try, converted by Handré Pollard, proved to be the difference.

• It was South Africa’s 15th win in 22 away matches against France.

• France lost the match despite having 59% of the possession and 63% of the territory.

• They also broke 42 South African tackles to 12 against.

• The penalty count was six-all.

• South Africa have won eight of their last nine Tests against France (L1), with their solitary defeat in that run being a 30-26 loss in Saint-Denis in November 2022.

• The last four encounters have been decided by four points or fewer, with an average winning margin of just 2.25 points.

• South Africa are six away from scoring 1 000 points against France.

Team notes

• France suffered a 3-0 series whitewash at the hands of New Zealand in July.

• Les Bleus fell just short in the first match in Dunedin, losing 31-27.

• Mickael Guillard, Gabin Villiere, who was sin-binned and Cameron Woki scored tries, Nolann Le Garrec kicked nine points and Joris Segonds accounted for the other three from the tee.

• The second Test in Wellington was more one-sided, the All Blacks winning 43-17.

• It was the first time in 15 matches that France failed to score 25 points or more in a Test.

• Nolann Le Garrec and Antoine Hastoy converted tries by Leo Barre and Joshua Brennan, who was sin-binned in the match and Le Garrec also kicked a penalty.

• France ended their tour in Hamilton with a third defeat, 29-19.

• Le Garrec converted his own try and kicked three penalties in addition to a Hastoy drop goal.

• France won the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations in March, the 19th time they have claimed the championship title in all its incarnations.

• It was their seventh Men’s Six Nations title, four of which have been Grand Slams.

• France’s hopes of a fifth Grand Slam were ended when they lost 26-25 to England in round two.

• France scored four tries during the title-clinching game against Scotland, a 35-16 win, which brought their overall total for the championship to 30, breaking the Men’s Six Nations record of 29 set by England in 2001.

• Another record was broken by Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who scored eight tries throughout the tournament to better Ireland's Jacob Stockdale's record of seven tries from 2018.

• The Bordeaux-Bègles wing scored in every round. The only other player to do that in the Men’s Six Nations for France was Philippe Bernat-Salles in 2001.

• Les Bleus scored 218 points across the five rounds, the most they have managed in a single championship, falling just short of England’s all-time record of 229 set in 2001.

• Thomas Ramos contributed 63 of those points and finished as the leading points scorer for the second consecutive Men’s Six Nations.

• France achieved their highest-ever Men’s Six Nations score en route to the title when they beat Italy 73-24 in Rome in round three.

• It was the second-highest score in Men’s Six Nations history (England 80-23 Italy in 2001).

• The top five highest-scoring matches in the Men’s Six Nations since 2023 have all involved France.

• France scored 11 of the 14 tries during the game, which broke the previous championship record of 12 tries combined in a single match.

• France’s 43-0 win over Wales in round one was the first time they have prevented the opposition from scoring a point in the Men’s Six Nations since they beat Italy 29-0 at Stadio Olimpico in March 2015. 

• Les Bleus have achieved the feat three times since then, but outside of the tournament (against Argentina, Fiji and, most recently, Namibia at RWC 2023). 

• The victory was marred by Romain Ntamack’s red card – the fourth red card received by France in 10 Men’s Six Nations matches.

• France only conceded an average of 8.2 penalties per game in the 2025 championship.

• Following this match, France have remaining Quilter Nations Series encounters at this venue against Fiji on 15 November and Australia on 22 November.

• South Africa are on a four-game winning run, having beaten Japan 61-7 at Wembley last weekend.

• In-form flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored twice inside the opening quarter and also kicked three conversions in the match for a 16-point haul, while Kurt Lee-Arendse bagged a second-half brace.

• Captain Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Andre Esterhuizen and Jesse Kriel were the other players to cross the whitewash for South Africa, who were also awarded a penalty try.

• Manie Libbok slotted four conversions.

• South Africa claimed back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time when they beat Argentina 29-27 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on 4 October.

• New Zealand's victory over Australia earlier in the day meant the Springboks knew any form of victory in London would be enough to secure the title because of their superior points difference.

• However, they found themselves 13-10 behind at half-time.

• Cobus Reinach scored a try two minutes before the break, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting to add to his earlier penalty.

• Malcolm Marx crossed twice, either side of Reinach’s second try, Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting twice, as the Springboks pulled clear.

• However, only two points separated the sides at the final whistle after the Springboks conceded two converted tries in the final quarter without reply.

• Canan Moodie became the fourth Springbok player to be sin-binned in The Rugby Championship 2025 when he saw yellow in the opening minute.

• The win over Los Pumas left South Africa and New Zealand tied on 19 points at the top of the standings, but the Springboks finished top as their points difference was +57 to the All Blacks’ +8.

• Both teams conceded 151 points, the joint fewest in the tournament but South Africa’s tournament-high tally of 208 points scored saw them reclaim the trophy.

• The Springboks’ 27 tries were also the most in the competition.

• Almost half of the tries the Springboks scored came from turnovers (13/27).

• However, they conceded two more tries (19) than both New Zealand and Australia (17).

• South Africa made more line-breaks and offloads (both 48) than any other team.

• They also kicked the ball the most in open play (180), an average of 30 per game.

• South Africa had the lowest penalty count in the tournament (56), conceding an average of just 9.33 per game.

• Malcolm Marx was the tournament’s joint-top try scorer (four, along with Australia’s Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii).

• Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu made the most tackle breaks (20).

• South Africa’s year started with a 54-7 win over the Barbarians before beating Italy twice – they also won 42-24 – and Georgia 55-10 in the July internationals.

• The Springboks’ remaining Quilter Nations Series matches are against Italy (in Turin on 15 November), Ireland (in Dublin on 22 November) and Wales (in Cardiff on 29 November).

Team news

• Only four players remain in the starting line-up from France’s last outing, the 29-19 loss to New Zealand in July, the final Test of a tour without many of Les Bleus’ leading players.

• The quartet are prop Baptiste Erdocio, who made his Test debut in New Zealand, No 8 Mickaël Guillard, scrumhalf Nolann Le Garrec and centre Gaël Fickou.

• Erdocio and tighthead Régis Montagne have only four caps between them but will have the experienced Julien Marchand alongside them.

• Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou are the second-row combination with Anthony Jelonch and Paul Boudehent coming in either side of Guillard in the back row.

• Le Garrec and Romain Ntamack are paired together for the first time at half-back with Pierre-Louis Barassi joining captain Fickou in midfield.

• France field a familiar – and potent – back three of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud and fullback Thomas Ramos.

• The trio are among the six players in France’s starting line-up who also started the heartbreaking 29-28 loss to South Africa in the RWC 2023 quarter-final, the others being Flament, Jelonch and Fickou.

• Replacement hooker Guillaume Cramont is set to make his France debut off the bench.

• South Africa captain Siya Kolisi will become his country’s ninth Test centurion when he leads his side out at the Stade de France, just over two years after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time at the stadium.

• Kolisi made his Test debut as a replacement in the 30-17 win over Scotland in June 2013 and has led the Springboks to back-to-back Rugby World Cups and Rugby Championship titles as well as a series win over the British & Irish Lions.

• The inspirational flanker is one of nine players in the starting line-up that also began the last meeting between the sides, the 29-28 victory for South Africa in the RWC 2023 quarter-final at this venue.

• Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cobus Reinach, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse also started that quarter-final.

• South Africa’s starting line-up shows five personnel and one positional change from the 61-7 victory over Japan at Wembley last weekend.

• Four of the changes come in the pack, including both props with Boan Venter replacing the injured Ox Nche on the loosehead and Thomas du Toit available now to start on the other side of hooker Malcolm Marx.

• Etzebeth, South Africa’s most-capped player, returns to partner Lood de Jager in the engine room with Pieter-Steph du Toit the final change, returning alongside Kolisi and Jasper Wiese in the back row.

• The only new face in the backline is Willemse at fullback, a selection which means a return to the right wing for Kolbe this weekend.

• Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the only member of the backline not involved in that RWC 2023 victory over France, continue their half-back pairing with De Allende and Kriel a familiar combination in midfield.

• Arendse completes the back three alongside Willemse and Kolbe.

Coach notes

• Fabien Galthié took charge of his first Les Bleus game in February 2020, marking his debut with a 24-17 win at home to England. 

• He celebrated his 50th Test in charge of France with a 39th Test victory in the opening match of their July 2024 tour against Argentina.  

• His overall record is now: P63, W47, D1, L14 (75%). 

• Galthié has led the team to two Men’s Six Nations titles, in 2022 and 2025. The 2022 triumph was their first title in 12 years.

• He is also the only person to lead France to No 1 in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, achieving the feat in July 2022.  

• The former scrumhalf won 38 of his 68 Tests as a player for France from 1991-2003. 

• He was named World Rugby’s Men’s Player of the Year in 2002, the same year he captained France to a Men’s Six Nations Grand Slam. 

• Rassie Erasmus returned to the Springboks head coach role in February 2024, signing a contract that takes him up to the end of 2027.

• He has overseen 23 Tests in his second spell as head coach, winning 19 and losing four (83%).

• Erasmus was the mastermind behind the Springboks’ back-to-back Rugby World Cup successes of 2019 and 2023 – as head coach and then director of rugby.

• He also led South Africa to their first Rugby Championship title in five years in 2024 and a clean sweep of victories in the Autumn Nations Series that followed.

• His first reign in charge started with a defeat to Wales in Washington, DC, in June 2018.

• Erasmus won 36 caps for South Africa as a back-row forward from 1997-2001.

Permutation highlights

• Nine of the top 10 teams can improve their rating this weekend, the exception being Ireland who will not get any reward for beating Japan in Dublin due to the 15.60 rating points between the sides before home weighting is factored in.

• South Africa’s advantage at the top of the rankings is currently 1.20 points but that buffer could be up to nearly five points if the Springboks beat France by more than 15 points in Saint-Denis and New Zealand lose by an equally significant margin to Scotland.

• However, if South Africa are beaten and New Zealand maintain their dominant record over Scotland, the sides will swap places with the All Blacks returning to the No 1 spot that they held for a four-week period during The Rugby Championship.

• South Africa are guaranteed to remain at No 1 if they manage at least a draw with Les Bleus at the Stade de France. A defeat would also be enough if New Zealand lose to Scotland for the first time in history.

• France will climb two places to third in victory, even if Ireland and England also win against lower-ranked opponents. This is because England can only gain a maximum of 0.02 rating points by beating Fiji at Allianz Stadium.

• Les Bleus can end the weekend in second – a position they have not occupied since October 2023 – if they win by more than 15 points and New Zealand lose.

• New Zealand cannot fall any lower than fourth place this weekend, while the lowest a beaten Ireland can slip to is fifth.

• An historic victory for Scotland may not be enough to improve on eighth place, unless Australia or Argentina above them fail to win. If this happens then Scotland will jump to sixth and into Band 1 for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw in December.

• England will lose fourth place to France in defeat, even if Les Bleus also fall to South Africa. However, England cannot fall any lower than fifth, even if Fiji win by more than 15 points.

• Argentina’s status as the last of the six teams currently positioned in Band 1 is reliant on them not losing to Wales in Cardiff. They could still lose and escape dropping out of the top six but that would be dependent on the teams around them not winning.

• It is not possible for Los Pumas to improve on sixth place this weekend.

• Fiji could break into the top six for the first time since the rankings began in October 2003 if they beat England and Argentina and Australia fail to win.

• Australia are another team that could enter the top six this weekend if they beat Italy and Los Pumas are beaten in Cardiff.

• Italy can’t improve on 10th place even if they repeat their historic win over Australia a few years ago in Florence.

• Their place in the top 10 is secure in defeat, as a heavy defeat combined with a similar margin of victory for Wales will still give them a 0.02 rating point advantage over their Men’s Six Nations rivals.

• A draw would be enough for Wales to move up a place to 11th, with Georgia, who can’t gain any points for a win over the lower-ranked USA in Batumi, the side to fall.

• Wales will only fall from 12th – and into Band 3 – if they lose and Japan avoid defeat against Ireland.

• A shock loss for 11th-ranked Georgia at the hands of the USA will cost them two places, even if Wales and Japan are beaten. The Lelos would sit one place above the Eagles.

• Uruguay could jump by as many as four places to 15th if they beat Portugal and other results fall their way.

• Portugal are currently one place and 0.14 points behind Los Teros in the rankings but will become the higher-ranked of the two nations should they win their meeting in Lisbon.

• A five-place gain to 15th is possible for Os Lobos if they win by more than 15 points.

• Samoa, in 16th, will not get any reward for beating Brazil in their opening RWC 2027 Final Qualification Tournament fixture, due to the 14.84 points between the sides.

• A defeat would not only be costly in terms of making it to Australia 2027 but could also lead to Samoa sliding down the rankings to an historic low as it is mathematically possible for them to drop to 20th. They have never been lower than 17th.

• A three-place rise to 29th is within Brazil’s reach if they make a winning start to their bid to qualify for a first Men’s Rugby World Cup.

• Elsewhere, Romania can’t make up enough ground with a win over Canada in Bucharest to break back into the world’s top 20.

• However, defeat for Romania will see the Oaks slip to a new low of 22nd if Belgium beat Namibia in the Final Qualification Tournament.

• A win for Canada will lift them above Hong Kong China and a losing Belgium into 22nd, but defeat will see them fall at least one place.

• Namibia are guaranteed to replace the Netherlands in 26th if they win in Dubai, with further gains possible depending on the margin and other results.

• Away from the Quilter Nations Series, November internationals and the Final Qualification Tournament, four additional matches count towards the rankings this weekend.

• Rating points are also riding on the outcomes of the men’s international between Colombia and Mexico, the Rugby Europe Men’s Trophy matches (Croatia v Czechia and Poland v Denmark) and Andorra v Israel in the Rugby Europe Men’s Conference.

• The Conference match between Slovakia and Austria will not count towards the rankings as the hosts are not a full member union of World Rugby.

Springboks v France @ Stade de France, Paris - 10.10pm kick-off

Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)

Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)

Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)

TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

FRPO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)

France starting XV: 15 Tomas Ramos, 14 Damien Penaud, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Gaël Fickou (capt), 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey; 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Nolann le Garrec; 8 Mickaël Guillard, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 Anthony Jelonch; 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament; 3 Régis Montagne, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Baptiste Erdocio. Replacements: 16 Guillaume Cramont, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Dorian Aldegheri 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Hugo Auradou, 21 Oscar Jegou, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Nicolas Depoortère.

Springbok starting XV: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach; 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt); 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Ruan Nortje, 21 Andre Esterhuizen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.