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The Springboks displayed the reigning world champions' resilience, storming back from a 14-6 deficit and the opening period dismissal of lock Lood de Jager to overwhelm France 32-17 in a bruising Autumn international on the weekend.

Down a man for the entire final 40 minutes, the Springboks withstood early pressure before overwhelming Les Bleus through raw power and composure, silencing a raucous crowd in Paris anticipating revenge for their World Cup heartbreak.

24 months after their painful 29-28 World Cup quarter-final loss to the South Africans on home soil, Les Bleus looked eager to make amends even without their injured captain Antoine Dupont. But France, now on a four-match losing streak, buckled under the strain as their composure disintegrated despite the visitors being reduced to 14 men on the eve of the interval.

Les Bleus' Early Dominance

Fabien Galthié’s side looked unstoppable in the opening stages as winger Damian Penaud crossed for two tries to become his country’s all-time leading try-scorer with forty, overtaking Serge Blanco's longstanding record.

A series of ill-disciplined penalties and a costly sin-binning, however, handed the initiative to the visitors who punished every error in ruthless fashion.

The Springboks responded with tries from Cobus Reinach, André Esterhuizen, Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who also kicked two penalty goals and three conversions.

Game-Changing Moment

It had all begun promisingly for France. The No. 15 Thomas Ramos kicked a expertly placed chip over the defence 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 sent off for a high hit on Ramos, Les Bleus seemed in complete command despite being only a single point ahead.

Then came the Springboks' impressive comeback through a combination of precise offense and unbreakable focus.

The France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, and the world champions seized the opportunity.

Esterhuizen barged through from a maul after the visitors had chosen to go for the lineout after being given a infringement, before Williams sprinted past a splintered defence for a further score as the momentum swung quickly.

Closing Out the Game

With the French rattled and conceding a succession of infringements, Feinberg-Mngomezulu sealed a memorable comeback, evading the defence on the wing and diving over the try-line before converting his own try.

The Springboks have now defeated Les Bleus in nine of their last ten meetings. The French team next face the Flying Fijians in Bordeaux on Saturday while the Springboks head to face the Italians.