France hold nerve to edge past South Africa in thriller

Nations ChampionshipFrance (21) 21Tries: Grandidier-Nkanang, Attissogbe, Bielle-Biarrey Cons: Lucu (3) South Africa (7) 19Tries: Wessels, Reinach, Marx Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)France held on to end their five-match losing run against South Africa at Stade de France with an enthralling 21-19 victory in Paris.The victory dents the world champions' hopes of reaching the Nations Championship final and puts Les Bleus in a strong position to top the Northern Hemisphere standings.The hosts, inspired by their captain Antoine Dupont, showed their class and skill to score three first-half tries.France's back three of Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey all crossed in a thrilling opening 40 minutes.The Springboks' try came before Bielle-Biarrey's, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels scoring off the back of a maul.Number eight Jasper Wiese was shown a 20-minute red card early in the second half for a tucked-shoulder charge, but it had the opposite effect to derailing the world champions.Replacement scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx scored to set a thrilling finale, with South Africa's set-piece power proving too much.However, Manie Libbok missed the vital conversion to Marx's try that would have levelled the game.With South Africa pushing for a winning score, Bielle-Biarrey produced a huge defensive play to force the ball loose, before Dupont, who was named player of the match, gathered possession to help seal the victory.The result will come as a blow to both England and Ireland, who are in direct competition with France for a place in the Nations Championship final at the end of the month.Les Bleus, who are six points clear at the top of the Northern Hemisphere standings, now face Argentina next Saturday, putting them in a strong position to reach the final at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, 29 November.Injuries to France's three first-choice fly-halves - Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack and Antoine Hastoy - left France coach Fabien Galthie with little option but to deploy his captain and talismanic scrum-half at number 10.Despite wearing the France number 10 shirt for the first time, Dupont lined up at scrum-half, as Galthie played Erasmus, who had again swapped his entire front row an hour before kick-off, at his own game.It was an electric start from the hosts, as a clever move sent Kalvin Gourgues through a gap, with Grandidier-Nkanang eventually crossing in the corner.A monstrous left-footed 50:22 from Dupont, with South Africa lock Lood de Jager in the sin-bin for a high tackle, gave France the field position, before the ball cannoned off Gourgues' head and Attissogbe crossed for a fortunate try.Dupont supplied more magic, grubber kicking through on his stronger right foot for Bielle-Biarrey to score.South Africa's power told as they scored their opening try from a maul, before Erasmus changed his entire front row again, five minutes before half-time.More to follow.France: Attissogbe; Grandidier-Nkanang, Gourgues, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Dupont, Lucu; Gros, Marchand, Falatea, Verhaeghe, Guillard, Cros, Woki, Alldritt.Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Ollivon, Staniforth, Capilla, Desperes, Gailleton.South Africa: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Hooker; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, van den Berg; Steenekamp, Wessels, T du Toit, De Jager, Nortje, PS du Toit, Kolisi, Wiese.Replacements: Marx, Nche, Louw, Mostert, Hanekom, De Villiers, Reinach, Libbok.