France’s long record of troubling the Springboks
With the Boks and France meeting again in Paris, IOL's Mike Greenaway recalls a rivalry in which the French have regularly upset South Africa at home and away.
France have long been awkward opponents for the Springboks, and the history shows why. According to IOL, writer Mike Greenaway traced the rivalry back to the first French tour of South Africa in 1958, which set the tone for much of what followed.
The 1958 tour and a famous lock
The French were not expected to cope in that two-Test series. They drew the first match at Newlands and then won 9-6 at Ellis Park. South Africa’s previous home series defeat dated back to the 1890s, so the result was a major shock.
The match-winner was lock Lucien Mias, a medical doctor. IOL reports that he was so nervous the night before the Test that he drank rum and then sang his way along the corridors of his Johannesburg hotel. Mias later became a major figure in French rugby and entered the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2005. At 93, he was a guest of honour at the 2023 World Cup quarter-final in Paris, which South Africa won.
What the numbers say
Excluding Friday night’s match in Paris, the two countries have met 47 times since 1913. France have won 12 of those Tests, six in each country, and there have been six draws, four of them on South African soil.
- Of 24 Tests played in South Africa, the Boks have won 14, a success rate of 58%.
- IOL describes that as a modest return by Springbok standards.
- Several of France’s wins in South Africa were upsets, with the Boks at times underestimating them.
Durban has been particularly uneven. In seven Tests at Kings Park, France drew three, lost two narrowly and lost two heavily, including 26-3 in 1967 and 37-15 in 2017.
Rain in 1995, chaos in 1971
The most dramatic Durban meeting was the 1995 World Cup semi-final, played in heavy rain. Referee Derek Bevan delayed kick-off by 90 minutes because he feared a front-row player could drown if a scrum collapsed into a puddle. Had the game been called off, France would have gone through on their better disciplinary record, because South Africa hooker James Dalton had been sent off against Canada in Port Elizabeth. In the end, a group of women cleared the water from the field with buckets and mops.
France came close to a late winning try. Abdelatif Benazzi, who weighed 110kg, gathered the ball metres from the line, but James Small threw himself into a desperate tackle to stop him. Benazzi still insists he grounded the ball. There was no TMO at the time. When the final whistle went, the Boks celebrated while the French players sank to the ground in tears.
Kings Park also hosted an 8-8 draw in 1971, a match known for its violence. A brawl broke out after Joggie Jansen tackled Jo Maso from behind and Maso had to leave the field. Natal’s Tommy Bedford later recalled being kicked by an angry Frenchman even though he had no part in the incident. The crowd had also abused French winger Roger Bourgarel early on, but his play eventually turned the jeers into cheers.
IOL’s conclusion is that French rugby has a lasting ability to surprise, entertain and occasionally frustrate South Africans.
This story is based on reporting by IOL.
