South Africa surge back after De Jager sending-off to overpower France

South Africa showed all their world champions resilience, storming back from 14-6 down and the first-half sending-off of the lock Lood de Jager to crush France 32-17 in a bruising Autumn international on Saturday.

Down a man for the entire second half, the Springboks absorbed early pressure before overwhelming Les Bleus through sheer physicality and composure, silencing a raucous Stade de France crowd expecting revenge for France’s World Cup heartbreak.

Two years after their agonising 29-28 World Cup quarter-final loss to the Springboks on home soil, Les Bleus looked eager to make amends even without their injured captain Antoine Dupont. But France, now on a four-match losing streak, cracked under pressure as their discipline disintegrated despite the Springboks being reduced to 14 men on the stroke of half-time.

Fabien Galthié’s side looked irresistible early on as the winger Damian Penaud scored twice to become his country’s all-time leading try-scorer with 40, surpassing Serge Blanco’s longstanding record.

A succession of reckless infringements and a costly yellow card, however, handed the initiative to the Springboks who punished every mistake in ruthless fashion.

South Africa fought back with tries from Cobus Reinach, André Esterhuizen, Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who also slotted two penalties and three conversions.

It had all started brightly for France. The full-back Thomas Ramos sent a perfectly weighted chip over the defence after four minutes which Penaud gathered to score. The winger struck again soon after, diving into the corner to double the lead, and when De Jager was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Ramos, France seemed in full control despite being only one point ahead.

South Africa celebrate at the final whistle after three second-half tries secured victory in Paris. Photograph: Nathan Barange/DPPI/Shutterstock

Then came South Africa’s spectacular revival through a mixture of clinical attacking and iron discipline. The France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, and the world champions pounced.

Esterhuizen powered over from a maul after the visitors had chosen to go for the lineout after being awarded a penalty, before Williams darted through a splintered defence for another try as the momentum swung quickly.

With France rattled and conceding a succession of penalties, Feinberg-Mngomezulu sealed a remarkable comeback, rounding the defence on the outside and sliding over the line before converting his own try.

South Africa have now beaten France in nine of their past 10 meetings. France next face Fiji in Bordeaux on Saturday while South Africa travel to Italy.