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The Springboks demonstrated the reigning world champions' resilience, fighting back from a 14-6 deficit and the opening period dismissal of lock Lood de Jager to crush the French team 32-17 in a bruising end-of-year Test on the weekend.

Playing with 14 men for the whole final 40 minutes, the South African side absorbed early pressure before dominating the French through sheer physicality and composure, quieting a raucous crowd in Paris anticipating payback for their World Cup heartbreak.

Two years after their agonising 29-28 World Cup quarter-final loss to the South Africans on their own turf, France looked eager to set things right even without their injured captain Antoine Dupont. But the home side, now on a four-match winless run, buckled under pressure as their discipline fell apart despite the visitors being reduced to 14 men on the eve of the interval.

Les Bleus' Early Dominance

Fabien Galthié’s side looked irresistible early on as winger Damian Penaud crossed for two tries to become his nation's all-time leading try-getter with forty, overtaking Serge Blanco's longstanding record.

A succession of ill-disciplined penalties and a costly sin-binning, however, gave control to the visitors who capitalized on every mistake in ruthless fashion.

South Africa fought back with scores from Cobus Reinach, André Esterhuizen, Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who also slotted two penalty goals and three extra points.

Game-Changing Moment

It had all started brightly for the hosts. The No. 15 Thomas Ramos kicked a expertly placed chip over the defensive line after the opening minutes which Penaud gathered to touch down. The winger added another soon after, diving into the corner to double the lead, and when De Jager was dismissed for a high hit on Ramos, France seemed in full control despite being only one point ahead.

Then came South Africa’s impressive revival through a combination of precise offense and unbreakable focus.

The French winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on, and the world champions pounced.

Esterhuizen powered over from a driving maul after the visitors had chosen to go for the set piece after being awarded a penalty, before Williams darted through a splintered defence for a further score as the impetus swung quickly.

Closing Out the Game

With France rattled and giving away a stream of penalties, Feinberg-Mngomezulu completed a memorable recovery, evading the defence on the outside and sliding over the try-line before converting his own try.

The Springboks have now beaten Les Bleus in nine of their last ten meetings. The French team next face the Flying Fijians in Bordeaux on the coming weekend while the Springboks travel to Italy.