Boks held by France in Durban
Brad Morgan
19 June 2005
After romping to a 134-3 victory over Uruguay in their first match of the international season, the Springboks barely escaped France in their second contest, sharing a thrilling 30-30 draw in front of 50 420 fans in the first test in Durban.
Springbok coach Jake White wasn't happy with the result, claiming it was the worst performance yet by the Boks, as far as playing to their structure was concerned.
Where South Africa had punched huge holes in Uruguay's defences the week before, there were few to be had against the French. And where the Boks had easily controlled the ruck and mauls against Los Teros, easily recycling ball, against France it was another matter as SA made life difficult for themselves, turning over ball often.
French opt for attack
Early on, the French signalled their intentions to attack by kicking for a lineout near the South African line from a penalty, instead of kicking for posts. From
the resultant throw-in they controlled the maul nicely, but just short of the tryline, Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde was tackled into touch as he went blind. It was, despite the lack of scoring success, a good indication of the French strength in the lineouts.
On six minutes it was France who took the lead as they capitalised on a South African error. John Smit's side had moved the ball to the right, on about the halfway line, and quickly recycled it, creating the opportunity for an attack out wide on the left. However, in his haste the get the ball to the players outside him in a hurry, flyhalf Jaco van der Westhuysen flung a poor pass straight to French centre Florian Fritz.
He raced forward, drew fullback Percy Montgomery, and then passed inside to flanker Yannick Nyanga, who raced away from the South African 10-metre line to crash over for a try just to the left of the posts. Elissalde converted to put the French 7-0 ahead.
Five minutes later South Africa hit back when
the French defenders were trapped offside at a ruck. Percy Montgomery had no problem slotting an easy penalty to reduce the deficit to 7-3.
South Africa hit the front
A minute later the Springboks hit the front for the first time as a flowing backline movement out to the left, initiated by a well judged kick from scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, saw Bryan Habana cross for a try. Percy Montgomery did well to join in, giving Habana the opportunity to break inside and beat his man in the left-hand corner. An excellent conversion from Montgomery put SA 10-7 ahead.
Halfway through the opening stanza, though, France were again back on level terms when flyhalf Frederic Michalak landed a stunning drop kick from about 47 metres out, just to the right of the posts.
Montgomery had another chance to give South Africa the lead four minutes later, but his kick, disappointingly, hit the uprights from almost directly in front.
Near halftime he got it
right, striking his kick over, after France were caught offsides.
Scores level
A minute before the break, though, Elissalde evened matters at 13-13 with an easy penalty to send the teams into the change rooms level pegging.
Shortly after the start of the second half the Springboks launched a series of strong attacks at the French defences. Van der Westhuysen opted to try for a drop kick, but when he missed referee Alan Lewis called the play back for a South African penalty, once again for the French straying offsides. Montgomery was off target with the shot at posts, striking his kick narrowly left of the uprights.
Three minutes later, Bryan Habana played a major role in creating and scoring South Africa's second try. After a well executed chip kick over France's forwards by Fourie du Preez, Habana raced through to challenge for the ball.
He knocked it away from the covering winger Julien Candelon. Albert van den Berg, ranging
up on the outside, gathered the ball and quickly flipped it back in to Habana, who turned on the afterburners to fly in from 40 metres out. Montgomery added the extra two points, giving South Africa a seven-point advantage at 20-13.
French reply
However, as was the pattern throughout the contest, France hit back almost immediately. After winning a penalty, they pinned the Springboks on their five-metre line by kicking for touch. After winning the throw-in, the French pack drove the ball up and, after a couple of thrusts at the Bok tryline, Pascal Papé crashed over for a five-pointer. Elissalde's successful conversion left the teams even once more at 20-20.
Only minutes later it was advantage France once more as they cleverly worked the Springbok defence from side to side before a pinpoint kick by Elissalde found eighthman Julien Bonnaire wide open on the right wing. He easily gathered the ball and went over for the third French try. The
conversion missed, but France were 25-20 up.
With an hour gone, Fourie du Preez again played a big role in setting up a South African try with another well thought out kick. From a quickly taken tap penalty, he made ground from the Springbok 22-metre line to the 10-metre line before knocking a kick deep towards France's tryline, in the left-hand corner.
Advantage SA
Fullback Julien Laharrague was first to the ball, but De Wet Barry stayed on his feet and competed well for it, before it broke free for winger Jean de Villiers, who burst away to the left and crashed over in the corner to make it 25-25. Montgomery converted to put the Boks' noses in front, 27-25.
With 15 minutes to go, Montgomery was again on target, this time with a well executed drop goal from about 38 metres out. His success made it South Africa 30, France 25.
Then, almost on full time, France again launched a strong attack after kicking out a penalty close to
the Springbok tryline. From the lineout they flung the ball first one way, then the other, sucking in defenders as they did. Flyhalf Michalak then spotted the open man, winger Julien Candelon way out wide on the right. Michalak's perceptive pass put Candelon away for an easy try.
Luckily for South Africa, Dmitri Yachvili's conversion attempt struck the right-hand upright and flew back into the field of play.
30-30!
A few minutes later, after a tense encounter, referee Lewis blew his whistle, leaving the Springboks and France to do battle in Port Elizabeth for series honours.
Star performers
For South Africa, Fourie du Preez stood out with his excellent decision making and clean execution of his duties. Percy Montgomery was a solid, stabilising influence at fullback, while up front Schalk Burger was all over the park, getting through a huge amount of work in the loose. Victor Matfield was a tower of strength in the lineouts, while
also doing plenty of work besides, and Os du Randt provided powerful scrumming and some telling tackles in open play.
For France, Cedric Heymans provided South Africa with some problems on the wing with some insightful attacking options, while flyhalf Frederic Michalak showed off some superb skills and a composed hand under all conditions, attack or defence. As a pack, the French forwards performed well.
Looking for something positive to take from the game, SA captain John Smit said that despite his side turning in their worst performance yet, they did, at least, still come away with a draw, maintaining their unbeaten record under coach White on South African soil.
Next weekend, though, facing a French team that is sure to contain members of the Biarritz and Stade Francaise teams, who started the Durban test on the bench, South Africa will need to put in a more composed and complete performance to keep that record intact.
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