The Springbok Women faced a harsh reality check at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, suffering a staggering 57-10 defeat against France in their final Pool D match in Northampton on Sunday evening. The result, showcasing the prowess of the fleet-footed French side, starkly contrasted the South African team’s earlier successes in the tournament.
South Africa’s journey to this point had been marked by impressive performances, beginning with a dominant 66-6 victory over Brazil, followed by a hard-fought 29-24 win against Italy. However, France, ranked as the fourth-best team globally, proved to be a formidable opponent, bringing the Springbok Women crashing back down to earth.
In the wake of this defeat, South Africa finished second in Pool D and now faces New Zealand in the quarter-finals, setting the stage for another challenging encounter.
The French team exhibited their strength early on, with the Springbok Women hampered by a red card shown to centre Chumisa Qawe following a serious foul. Coach Swys Bruin, opting to rotate his squad and offer opportunities to players who had yet to feature in the tournament, introduced fresh faces into the mix. He had urged his squad to view the jerseys for the quarter-finals as up for grabs, but unfortunately, many players found it challenging to make their mark under relentless pressure from the French side.
The historical context adds depth to the rivalry, as earlier this year, the Springbok Women had trained at the French national centre in Marcoussis, engaging in joint sessions where the French team took on the role of coaches. In a show of respect towards the Springbok pack, the French coaching staff decided to bolster their own forward pack, reflecting the power dynamic they anticipated in the match.
Right from the outset, the French dominance was clear, especially in set pieces. A scrum penalty quickly granted them territory and the opportunity to apply pressure, culminating in a try for fullback Emilie Boulard just ten minutes into the match. South Africa managed to respond with a penalty from Byrhandré Dolf, but as the first quarter neared its end, hope soon turned to despair as a loose pass was intercepted, leading to another French try, this time from centre Gaby Vernier.
The situation deteriorated for the South African side when Qawe received a yellow card for a high tackle that warranted further sanctioning, resulting in a red card and leaving her team a player down. This turn of events opened the floodgates for France, with No 8 Charlotte Escudero navigating over from a maul near the Bok line to stretch the score. By half-time, the scoreboard reflected a daunting 24-3 in favour of France.
The second half continued in a similar vein, with Boulard capitalising again just three minutes in, thanks to another dominant French scrum. The tries kept coming; Joanna Grisez found the space to extend the tally further, followed by Annaëlle Deshaye, and Grisez added her second as the score climbed to an overwhelming 50-3. Alexandra Chambon added the ninth try to cap a devastating performance from the French side.
Despite the challenges, the biggest cheer came from Springbok supporters at the very end when scrum-half Nadine Roos scored a magnificent solo try, showcasing her individual brilliance even amidst the team’s struggles.
*The Bok Women will face New Zealand in their quarter-final at 14h00 next Saturday afternoon, while France will take on Ireland on Sunday.