‘They took their opportunities,’ says Bok captain Kolisi after France loss

In the end the more ruthless team on the night received their just reward, as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi admitted that France had taken their chances, which helped them emerge with a thrilling 21-19 win in their Nations Championship clash at the Stade de France in Saint Denis on Friday.

Both teams finished the match with three tries apiece, with only Manie Libbok’s missed conversion in the second half separating the sides, although France could themselves point to scrumhalf Maxime Lucu missing a second half penalty that he should have nailed, that would have made things slightly more comfortable for them.

It was a game of two halves with France producing a scintillating display of running rugby in the first half that saw them run in three tries to lead 21-7 at the break, before the Springboks’ power game came to the fore in the second half, with them dominating the second 40 only to fall just short.

But where France took their chances in the first half, the Boks will be disappointed to have left a number of points out there in the second, while they also missed out on a first half try that was chalked off after wing Kurt-Lee Arendse went too early to catch a ball thrown over the lineout and run in, with the TMO spotting him just offside.

Speaking on the pitch after the match, Kolisi praised France for their performance, while admitting his team wasn’t up to scratch on attack, with them being caught behind the defensive line a number of times.

Congratulations to France

“Congratulations to France on the win today. They played really well. It was very tight, the set piece was good for both teams, but they took their opportunities when they got them,” said Kolisi in a television interview.

“I think we made a couple of mistakes, we could have been better in so many parts of the game, but well done to them, they took their opportunities.

“It wasn’t really a rush defence (that troubled us). We weren’t running onto the ball and they were running onto us, so they caught us behind the advantage line. But it is stuff that we can fix very quickly.”

The Boks’ chances of making the Nations Championship main game on the Finals Weekend have now taken a hammer blow, with them needing the All Blacks to slip up against Wales or England in their next two games to give them a chance, while the South Africans still have to beat Ireland in Dublin.

“It’s (the next match) important for us. Ireland is a strong team. So we are going to have to make sure we fix any mistakes we made today to give ourselves a chance of playing in that final game (of the Nations Championship),” explained Kolisi.

“There is a lot that we can do to get better. So again, well done to the French team, they played really well and right to the end. It was a great atmosphere as always, and thanks to the French people for the way they came out.”