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Some victories carry dual significance in the lesson they convey. Within the flood of weekend international rugby fixtures, it was the Saturday evening result in the French capital that will echo longest across both hemispheres. Not just the end result, but equally the approach of achievement. To suggest that South Africa shattered various widely-held assumptions would be an modest description of the season.

Surprising Comeback

Discard the theory, for instance, that France would make amends for the unfairness of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. That entering the closing stages with a small margin and an additional player would result in inevitable glory. That even without their star man their scrum-half, they still had more than enough strategies to contain the strong rivals safely at bay.

Instead, it was a case of celebrating too soon before time. Initially trailing by four points, the South African side with a player sent off concluded with registering 19 consecutive points, strengthening their status as a side who more and more reserve their top performance for the toughest situations. If defeating the All Blacks by a large margin in earlier this year was a message, here was definitive evidence that the leading international squad are developing an more robust mentality.

Pack Power

Actually, the coach's experienced front eight are beginning to make everyone else look laissez-faire by contrast. The Scottish and English sides experienced their promising spells over the recent fixtures but possessed nothing like the same powerful carriers that thoroughly overwhelmed the home side to rubble in the final thirty minutes. Several up-and-coming young France's pack members are coming through but, by the end, the encounter was men against boys.

Even more notable was the psychological resilience supporting it all. Missing the second-rower – given a red card in the first half for a high tackle of Thomas Ramos – the Springboks could potentially lost their composure. On the contrary they simply circled the wagons and set about dragging the deflated home team to what an ex-France player referred to as “the hurt locker.”

Guidance and Example

Post-game, having been hoisted around the Stade de France on the gigantic shoulders of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman to celebrate his 100th cap, the South African skipper, the flanker, repeatedly highlighted how several of his team have been needed to rise above off-field adversity and how he hoped his side would similarly continue to encourage people.

The insightful a commentator also made an astute observation on television, suggesting that the coach's achievements increasingly make him the rugby coaching equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson. In the event that the world champions succeed in claim a third straight world title there will be complete assurance. In case they come up short, the clever way in which the coach has rejuvenated a experienced squad has been an exemplary model to other teams.

Young Stars

Consider his 23-year-old fly-half the rising star who sprinted past for the late try that decisively broke the home defense. Or Grant Williams, a second half-back with explosive speed and an keener ability to spot openings. Undoubtedly it helps to operate behind a gargantuan pack, with the powerful center adding physicality, but the continuing evolution of the Springboks from physically imposing units into a side who can also move with agility and sting like bees is extraordinary.

Home Side's Moments

This is not to imply that the French team were totally outclassed, despite their limp finish. Damian Penaud’s later touchdown in the right corner was a prime instance. The set-piece strength that occupied the Bok forwards, the superb distribution from the full-back and Penaud’s finishing dive into the advertising hoardings all displayed the hallmarks of a squad with significant talent, despite missing their star man.

But even that ultimately proved inadequate, which is a daunting prospect for competing teams. It would be impossible, for instance, that the Scottish side could have gone 17-0 down to South Africa and mounted a comeback in the way they did against the All Blacks. Notwithstanding England’s last-quarter improvement, there is a gap to close before the England team can be assured of facing Erasmus’s green-clad giants with high stakes.

Northern Hemisphere Challenges

Beating an improving Fiji posed difficulties on Saturday although the forthcoming clash against the the Kiwis will be the contest that truly shapes their end-of-year series. New Zealand are definitely still beatable, notably absent their key midfielder in their midfield, but when it comes to capitalizing on opportunities they are still a level above almost all the northern hemisphere teams.

The Thistles were notably at fault of not finishing off the decisive blows and doubts still surround England’s perfect backline combination. It is fine ending matches well – and much preferable than fading in the closing stages – but their admirable undefeated streak this year has so far included just a single victory over world-class sides, a one-point home victory over the French in the winter.

Future Prospects

Therefore the importance of this coming Saturday. Reading between the lines it would seem several changes are anticipated in the starting lineup, with experienced individuals coming back to the lineup. Up front, likewise, first-choice players should all be back from the outset.

But perspective matters, in rugby as in existence. In the lead-up to the upcoming world championship the {rest