How the Springboks looked the last time they played France

· The South African

The Springboks face their biggest Nations Championship test this weekend.

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South Africa travel to Saint-Denis to face France in a certified barnstormer.

Here’s how the Springboks team compares to the last time they met Les Bleus.

Rassie Erasmus names team to face France

The Springboks named their playing XV on 9 November, ahead of the game on Friday.

Coach Rassie Erasmus made just two changes to the team that thumped Italy 66-7 in Turin on Saturday.

The full list is as follows:

  1. Ox Nche
  2. Malcolm Marx
  3. Wilco Louw
  4. Lood de Jager
  5. Ruan Nortje
  6. Siya Kolisi
  7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
  8. Jasper Wiese
  9. Morne van den Berg
  10. Sacha Feinberg-Ngomezulu
  11. Ethan Hooker
  12. Damian de Allende
  13. Jesse Kriel
  14. Kurt-Lee Arendse
  15. Damian Willemse

Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Franco Mostert, Cameron Hanekom, Paul de Villiers, Cobus Reinach, and Manie Libbok have been named on the bench.

France are top of the Northern Hemisphere table in the Nations Championship.

The Springboks are leading the Southern Hemisphere standings as one of two unbeaten teams.

New Zealand also have a perfect record and inflicted the only blemish on France’s record.

South Africa need to beat Les Bleus to keep the pressure on the All Blacks.

They then have another massive test coming up against Ireland on 21 November in Dublin.

How the Springboks looked last time they played France

The last time the Springboks and Les Bleus met was at the same venue a year earlier.

South Africa put France away 32-17 at Stade de France during one of their end-of-year Tests.

 Here’s how the Springboks lined up for that game on 8 November, 2025, according to ESPN.

  1. Boan Venter
  2. Malcolm Marx
  3. Thomas du Toit
  4. Eben Etzebeth
  5. Lood de Jager
  6. Siya Kolisi
  7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
  8. Jasper Wiese
  9. Cobus Reinach
  10. Sacha Feinberg-Ngomezulu
  11. Kurt-Lee Arendse
  12. Damian de Allende
  13. Jessie Kriel
  14. Cheslin Kolbe
  15. Damian Willemse

The bench was also packed with firepower: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Wilco Louw, RG Synman, Ruan Nortje, Andre Esterhuizen, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok.

HOW THE LINE-UPS COMPARE

Comparing the two starting line-ups, there are only five differences.

Ox Nche is included at loosehead, compared to Boan Venter last time.

Wilco Louw starts at tighthead, with Thomas du Toit now on the bench.

Ruan Nortje begins at lock as Eben Etzebeth sits out the game.

Morne van den Berg was retained at scrumhalf from the Italy Test, with Cobus Reinach now on the bench.

Ethan Hooker will start on the left wing, with Kurt-Lee Arendse now on the opposite side.

He takes the place of Cheslin Kolbe, who is still out with a broken jaw.

ARE YOU IMPRESSED WITH HOW THE SPRINGBOKS LOOKED IN 2025 COMPARED TO 2026?

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