France 20 Springboks 13
Keo.co.za brought you live commentary from the Springboks’ Test against France in Toulouse.
80 mins: The French crowd begin to applaud their team as the home team have a put in to the scrum in the dying seconds. No 8 Louis Picamoles runs the ball into touch and Barnes blows the final whistle. The French players celebrate their victory over the world champions and the Boks’ poor run on French soil continues. France win 20-13!
78 mins: France win their third penalty at scrum time as they out-scrum the Bok pack. Parra kicks the three points and puts the game beyond doubt. 20-13 to France!
75 mins: France keep the Boks pinned in their own territory, forcing the visitors to make mistakes. With five minutes remaining and despite some handling errors from the French, the Boks don’t seem to have the composure to work themselves to the other end of the field.
68 mins: Ryan Kankowski is yellow carded for a professional foul after France steal an unnecessary quick throw from JP Pietersen in their own 22. Replacement scrumhalf Morgan Parra misses the easy penalty kick, but the Boks find themselves four points behind with one player less on the field.
65 mins: Smit and Matfield express their frustration as match referee Wayne Barnes penalises the Boks regularly.
61 mins: France win another penalty at the scrum in the Boks’ 22m area. Dupuy puts the home side further ahead as he converts his fourth three-pointer. 17-13 to France!
52 mins: With the strong wind at their backs, the French have clear momentum. The Boks are left defending for most of the early exchanges after the break.
49 mins: Dupuy gets the opportunity to kick his team into the lead as the Boks are penalised at the scrum. The French No 9 successfully kicks his attempt over for the first points of the second half. 14-13 to France!
41 mins: With Steyn off, Zane Kirchner restarts for the Boks. It is, however, a nightmare kick as the ball sails into touch.
Half-time: France 11 Springboks 13
39 mins: Steyn is sin-binned for tripping Clerc as the French kick a chip through for a try opportunity. The Boks will now start with 14 men in the second stanza and have to play without Steyn’s accurate boot for 10 minutes. The situation worsens as Dupuy converts the penalty on the stroke of half-time to reduce visitor’s lead to two points. 13-11 to the Boks!
31 mins: France try! The French hit back straight after the restart. The home team break into the Boks’ 22m area. The ball is then flicked wide to an unmarked Vincent Clerc, who dives in at the corner. 13-8 to the Boks!
29 mins: Springbok try! The French are under pressure as they have a lineout 5m from their tryline. Hooker William Servat misses his jumper and Smit steals possession and bursts over for the opening try. Steyn claims the extras to extend the lead to 10 points. 13-3 to the Boks!
25 mins: The Boks work themselves into the French 22m area. Steyn sits in the pocket and slots a drop goal to put the Boks in the lead. 6-3 to the Boks!
20 mins: French flank Imanol Harinordoquy is penalised for an illegal entry at the breakdown. Steyn steps up for his first kick at goal and scores the Boks’ first points of the game. The score is level at 3-3!
17 mins: The Boks spend a good period in the French half, but poor handling and communication results in a French penalty. The home side clear the ball into the Boks’ half.
7 mins: The physical battle is clear as Bakkies Botha emerges from a ruck bleeding from the head.
5 mins: John Smit is penalised for side entry at the ruck, which gives France a penalty in a kickable position. Scrumhalf Julien Dupuy converts his first attempt at goal. 3-0 to France!
1 min: High kick off from the pivot Francois Trinh-Duc, which is claimed by Victor Matfield. Heinrich Brussow sets the first breakdown and Morne Steyn clears the ball back into French territory.
France – 15 Damien Traille, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Yann David, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Cedric Heymans, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Julien Dupuy, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Romain Millo-Chluski, 4 Lionel Nallet, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Fabien Barcella.
Subs: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Sylvain Marconnet, 18 Sebastien Chabal, 19 Julien Bonnaire, 20 Morgan Parra, 21 David Marty, 22 Maxime Médard.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Adi Jacobs, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Wian du Preez, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Andries Bekker, 20 Danie Rossouw, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Wynand Olivier.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:39 am
#450 Valkyrie:
The players had a hard time not to laugh.
Where did they find that “bergie”? I would have kicked in on both shins and in the teeth.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:42 am
#451 Sheriff: the faces of the south africans in the crowd were priceless!
November 14th, 2009 at 12:52 am
Wow where did he learn to sing? It was painfull to listen to!
And then the Frenchman belts out their anthem brilliantly
November 14th, 2009 at 12:53 am
#452 Valkyrie:
From what I could see his features looked South African.
Its not the first time that the anthem has been sabotaged; Ive only seen NZ do justice to our anthem.
That anthem was deliberate, no doubt about that!
November 14th, 2009 at 12:59 am
Cheers mates, Im falling asleep over here
November 14th, 2009 at 1:03 am
#455 Sheriff: cheers mate .the smirnoffs are playing havoc with my mind now,time to hit the sack as well.
November 14th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Sadly it looked as if this signified the end of a golden era for this Bok side. So many good players, but the Lions series and first tests of the 3N were the peak of their achievement it seems. A very good side still, but much like in 2004, it looks like the Boks time at the top has more to do with the transitional situation of other top sides.
PdV needs to be abandoned. The results this year have papered over the cracks in his coaching, but the writing is on the wall. The kick and chase game was revolutionary but part of being at the top is adapting ahead of time. Instead, the Boks tonight persisted. Other sides have worked out their lineout, worked out the fielding of the high ball, and the Boks need now new inspiration and new strategy to avoid being overtaken further.
It has been a great year, but sadly looks like the best is behind the boys.
November 14th, 2009 at 1:16 am
Big Hit, summed this whole thing up spot on, look to posts 399 and 421, french too good, they outmuscled us at home, end of.
November 14th, 2009 at 1:17 am
#457 The Old Enemy:
****.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:34 am
#457 The Old Enemy:
So your solution is: FIRE PDV and the rest of the BOYS? Let’s keep a bit of perspective here (If that is correct English). If we win the next two test matches, would you agree that the end of year tour is still a success?
November 14th, 2009 at 3:45 am
#456 Valkyrie:
Los die Smirnhoff, drink bruinwyn. Hy hou jou wakker!
November 14th, 2009 at 4:24 am
*OUCH*
November 14th, 2009 at 4:31 am
#421 Big Hit:
you protesteth too much. ‘neutral observer’ my @@@@@rse.
seems like Im the only 1 who picked the right result and margin round ere.
Tough match. French were smart bringing the 2 best teams in the World to 2 traditional/ravenousl towns where crowd support would be rabid. Check out the difference when they play out of Paris – infinitely better !
and we thought France were Kiwis nemesis…..12yrs and counting since the Boks rolled France at home. 1 win in 7.
Can France now challenge Boks as World no1 ? They move in to no2 on form, surely. Blacks better bring their A game to Marseilles.