Key events
TRY! France 24-3 South Africa (Gerin, 38)
Caught napping! A cross-field kick from Queyroi almost finds Menagner but Dolf manages to do enough to bumble the ball out of touch and into safety. But the French are alive to the opportunity and take the line-oiut quickly. Before South Africa can set their defence Gerin has it and is charging over from close range to score her country’s fourth of the afternoon. The difficult conversion from the left tram doesn’t have the legs.
35 min: Another mad passage! This game has been breathless. Hele picks up off the back of a scrum and darts down the blind on the right. But South Africa don’t keep possession and France counter with Raclot once again playing the lead role around the fringe. Then South Africa recover possession and Roos almost squeezes through while making about 10 metres after contact. But France pinch it back. They are more methodical this time. Latsha hammers Konde. There’s a knock on off a green hand so France get the scrum set inside the SA 22.
33 min: Hele picks up off the back of a scrum and charges. Roos offers support. South Africa’s ball retention is good but they can’t go anywhere in the face of stiff French defence. They’re also missing a player in the backline now that Qawe has been red carded. They’re pushed backwards but have the ball. Webb and the Dolf have darts. The whistle sounds as Ngingolo is sitting down injured. South Africa will get the scrum but they don’t want to lose a prop.They won’t. After some treatment she jogs back her mates and prepares to pack down.
RED CARD! South Africa (Qawe, 30)
Qawe’s yellow has been upgraded to red! I think that’s harsh. I felt for sure that she was clearly changing direction. That means that South Africa have to play with 14 for 20 minutes before they can bring on another player.
29 min: France are bossing this. They win another penalty which is then hoofed deeper into South Africa’s half. Off the line-out Konde almost connects with the hard running Raclot – having a monster of a game – but the centre spills in contact.
TRY! France 19-3 South Africa (Escudero, 27)
South Africa only have themselves to blame. They’ve paid the price for over playing in their own 22. From the scrum after their forward pass, the French pack, brilliant so far, once again got go-forward. Escudero controlled the ball at the bacl of the scrum with some neat footwork. Once she spotted the gap she picked it up and powered over from close range. Queyroi nails the extras.
26 min: Bad to worse from South Africa. They got lucky as France’s penalty wasn’t kicked out, but the Saffas play with fire as they try to run their way out of their 22. They pass down the line and then start to panic. The final pass to Somboya strayed forward so France have a scrum five out from their line.
Yellow card! South Africa (Qawe, 25)
Qawe could be in trouble. The officials are looking at a possible head on head hit as she went round to make a tackle on Menager who cut in off her left foot. Not dirty, just poor technique.
Yup, yellow card. She tried to change direction, just couldn’t do it fast enough.
25 min: France almost score the try of the tournament! Zulu’s kick launches a counter from the French. Sublime hands in the tackle, from Raclot, from Escudero, from Champon, it’s so good. Grisez has it on the right wing and is cut down by Samboya on the cover. But they keep it alive and big runners off the shoulder bring it within a metre of the SA line but they get in each other’s way and give away a penalty for obstruction. Wonderful, wonderful rugby from France. That deserved a try.
23 min: South Africa will get a scrum inside their half after a French hand knocked-on in the tackle, but these are concerning scenes for the Saffas. Their crash ball around the fringe is not yielding positive results. The French defence is more than up to the task. The Saffas look keen to give the ball width, but they’re unable to get it past the 13 channel. All credit to France so far.
22 min: Sansus shows why she’s one of the best players in the world. She catches the restart over her shoulder, sets herself and then launches a monster kick back over halfway. South Africa win the line-out and crash the ball up around the tight channel, but the French defence is robus, forcing Zulu to dink a kick ahead that lands in French hands.
TRY! France 12-3 South Africa (Vernier, 20)
Clinical! France got a great shove on the scrum and won a penalty advantage. From there it was all about the timing of the run against the grain from Vernier who met Sansus’ short pass at pace and cut through a big hole in midfield. It looked simple, and the Boks will consider it soft, but that was so incisive from the French. The conversion from right in front is an easy one.
18 min: A mad passage of play ends with a scrum for France inside South Africa’s 22 after Zulu spilled a pass. It started with a break through midfield with Qawe and Hele combining in midfield. Then a wild pass out to the left wing was intercepted by Grisez. Qawe scarambled back and along with Cilliers managed to wrestle the ball back. Zulu just needed to catch and kick, but she lifted her eyes at the last moment and dropped it. Big scrum for France out to their right and about seven metres short of the lien.
17 min: A poor kick from Dolf, after fielding another loose bacll in the backfield, invites pressure on her team. France try to break down their left before Boulard kicks ahead. It finds space. Roos fields and manages to secure the ball. France let them off with a soft penalty on the ground so SA can clear with a kick that finds touch 10 metres short of halfway.
Penalty! France 5-3 South Africa (Dolf, 14)
Reward for South Africa who leave the red zone with some points. Dolf could have back heeled this over from right in front.
13 min: There’s a high shot from a French player. Fine margins at those speeds. Latsha points to the sticks as it’s bang in front.
12 min: This is brutal from both sides. Monster hit aplenty. A raking clearing kick is gathered by Dolf in South Africa’s back field and she counters with a swift canter. She’s nailed but the Boks keep the ball until France loose their feet at a counter ruck and give away a penalty. SA will have the line-out in France’s 22.
TRY! France 5-0 South Africa (Boulard, 10)
No denying this one! Inevitable is the word. From the penalty inside the red zone, they tapped and went. Slick hands down the line before fullback Boulard gathered in the right tram to crash over her would-be tackler. The tough conversion out near the touchline doesn’t curl back enough.
9 min: France are over! But has Berthomiue dropped it on the line? She has! Great work from the scramble defence as a try looked inevitable. From the line0-out maul, the French were formidable in the close carries. Snaking right to left then back towards the poles. the flanker looked certain to score but fumbled. No matter they have the penalty advantage so will come again.
8 min: France win the scrum penalty. South Africa’s front row melted on impact so Queyroi hoofs it out of touch on SA’s 22. France with the line-out and drive forward with a stiff maul.
7 min: South Africa get the free kick from the scrum. They then keep possession with some slick hands and ambitious carries, but the French defence knocks them back. Roos tries a floating pass to the left wing. It’s intercepted but knocked on. So South Africa get the scrum feed this time close to the left touchline on halfway. The non-playing reserves to my right are screaming “Bokke! Bokke! Bokke!”. Great atmosphere.
5 min: South Africa’s scrum is dominant but the French manage to wheel it and that creates space down the blidnside on the right. SA scramble across and there’s a good tackle from Zulu on her opposite number Queyroi. SA turn possession again but fumble it again. Scrum to France. Again.
2 min: South Africa kick off and some stiff defence keeps France pinned in their own 22. A poor kick from Queyroi hands possession to the Boks but a knock-on hands possession back. France break down the left but can’t stitch it together. We’ll have the first scrum of the afternoon inside French territory, between halfway and the 22.
The anthems are done.
As is now custom, both teams race off as soon as the final note sounds to do some extra work with tackling bags and warm up their shoulders.
South Africa in bottle green. France in royal blue. It’s quite the picture.
Righto, here we go!
France co-head coach, Gaëlle Mignot, had this to say:
They (South Africa) were on tour in France, and we had the chance to host them for a shared session. It was during the (2025) Six Nations. It was an intense session, very physical. It took us a few moments to realise what was happening, but it quickly became clear – they were determined, had a message to send, and wanted to make a statement. Now here we are.
The players felt it, and so did we. They made it clear South Africa had come to this World Cup to show how much they’ve progressed, that they’ve raised their level and are aiming for the quarter-finals. And they proved it by qualifying.
It was a great opportunity for us. The last time we played them was at the 2022 World Cup. That result went our way, but we can’t rely on that now. A lot has changed since then.
Swys de Bruin was speaking in the build up:
First, I trust every one of these ladies to do the job, that’s why they’re here. We beat Italy, which made it easier [to change the team]. The second thing is a lot of those players put their bodies on the line in two games, and we can rest them, and I’ll listen to the doctor and I’ll listen to the conditioner who would suggest it’s good for some of these girls to take a break, not just for their bodies, but mentally as well.
The World Cup means everything to the 32 players and the last thing I would have done is left here and some of them didn’t ever run on that pitch. For years, they’ll remember that I was the girl who went to the World Cup and never had a chance. So, rugby is so important, but people are more important.
How about some rugby reading?
Troubling news for England:
Red Roses must contend with pressure:
The USA leave our shores, but they can hold their heads up high:
South Africa team
Coach Swys de Bruin has made 10 changes from the side that beat Italy last week.
He promised before the start of the competition to use all 32 players before the knockouts and he’s making good on that.
Prop Babalwa Latsha – a familiar name to Harlequins fans – will captain the team for the first time at this tournament. De Bruin also brings in new playmaker Mary Zulu at fly-half.
The most capped scrumhalf in Springbok Women history, Tayla Kinsey, will also add a third Rugby World Cup arrow to her bow when she comes off the bench against France, a team she has faced four times before, including at the previous RWC, held in New Zealand in 2022, in what will be her 41st Test cap.
The human wrecking ball at no. 8, Aseza Hele, keeps her spot. She’s one of just two forwards to do so.
South Africa: 15 Byrhandré Dolf; 14 Jakkie Cilliers, 13 Eloise Webb, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Maceala Samboya; 10 Mary Zulu, 9 Nadine Roos; 1 Yonela Ngxingolo, 2 Mickie Gunter, 3 Babalwa Latsha, 4 Vainah Ubisi, 5 Anathi Qolo, 6 Lerato Makua, 7 Catha Jacobs, 8 Aseza Hele.
Replacements: Luchell Hanekom, Xoliswa Khuzwayo, Nombuyekezo Mdliki, Nomsa Mokwai, Faith Tshauke, Sinazo Mcatshulwa, Tayla Kinsey, Aphiwe Ngwevu
France Team
Manae Feleu returns to the second row to add some heft in time for the knockouts.
Along with her lock partner Madoussou Fall Raclot, the French will look to match the South Africans at their own game.
“We’re a slightly lighter team, so we’ll need to move a lot and hold on over the long haul,” Feleu said.
“We know the first 20 to 40 minutes will be intense. We’ll have to be brave defensively, in the collisions, and in attack. We absolutely can’t let up – the match lasts 80 minutes. We need to keep moving and shift them around to open up our game.”
Marine Ménager has been one of the form wingers and will set this place on fire if gets enough ball out wide.
France: 15 Emilie Boulard; 14 Joanna Grisez, 13 Nassira Konde, 12 Gaby Vernier, 11 Marine Menagner; 10 Lina Queyroi, 9 Pauline Bourdon Sansus; 1 Yllana Brosseau, 2 Agathe Gerin, 3 Rose Bernadou, 4 Manae Feleu, 5 Madoussou Fall Raclot, 6 Axelle Berthomiue, 7 Lea Champon, 8 Chorlotte Escudero.
Replacements: Elisa Riffonneau, Annaelle Deshaye, Assia Khalfaoui, Hina Ikahehegi, taina Maka, Seraphine Okemba, Alexandra Chambon, Morgane Borgeois.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Loads of fans. A stadium buzzing. Perfect conditions for running rugby. Two teams with literally nothing to lose as they’ve both already qualified for the quarterfinals.
It’s the last game of the group stages and though both France and South Africa will already have their thoughts on the next round, this provides a great opportunity to iron out some kinks and acid test a few new moves before things get serious next week.
France will start as heavy favourites today. They’re among the big four alongside England, Canada and New Zealand and should have little trouble against the South Africans who only beat a top-10 ranked team for the first time last week when the downed Italy by five points in a historic 29-24 triumph. For context, France swept the Italians 24-0 and could have had more.
South Africa have a power game to match the French which should prove a decent challenge for the dark horses from across the English Channel. And if the Boks backs can see enough of the ball, they’ll want to show that they Saffas are more than one dimensional bruisers.
I’m expecting a relatively comfortable scoreline but will be paying close attention to the shapes and patterns out there. When all is said and done, we might have a few questions answered.
Kick-off is at 4:45 pm BST.
Teams, updates and other bits to come.
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