2025’s Best Bok Tests #3: A 14-man masterclass
by KickOff Rugby · KickOffKickOff Rugby continues its retrospective series, counting down the five most significant Test matches of the 2025 season. We move to number three, with a night of history and defiance in the French capital.
SA v France
Result: France 17 – 32 South Africa (Autumn Nations Series)
Date: 8 November 2025
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Attendance: 79 486
South Africa Captain: Siya Kolisi
Head Coach: Rassie Erasmus
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s 100th Test match was never going to be a quiet affair, but few predicted the script that unfolded at the Stade de France. Reduced to 14 men after a red card to Lood de Jager, the Springboks produced a masterclass in tactical discipline to stun the hosts.
This was a statement of intent from the world champions. Returning to the scene of their breathless 2023 World Cup quarter-final triumph, the Boks faced a French team thirsting for revenge.
The atmosphere was hostile, the stakes were personal, and for the first hour, the result hung in the balance.
France led 14-13 at halftime, having scored early through Damian Penaud, and looked poised to run the visitors off their feet.
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French resistance crumbles
The turnaround began up front. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Springbok pack refused to buckle. The "Bomb Squad" integration was seamless, but it was the scrum dominance that broke the French resistance.
The final quarter belonged entirely to South Africa. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, growing in stature with every Test, pulled the strings beautifully. He converted tries from replacements Andre Esterhuizen and Grant Williams, while scoring one himself to seal a 19-3 second-half rout. Esterhuizen’s try, born from a powerful maul in the 64th minute, gave the Boks the lead for the first time, and they never looked back.
It was a fitting tribute to Kolisi, whose 68th match as captain ended with a victory that reaffirmed the Boks' ability to adapt and conquer under extreme pressure.
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Was this performance in Paris the defining moment of the 2025 season for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.