Fabien Galthié was left to rue “missed opportunities” and a “series of penalties” as his French side “disintegrated” in a 32-17 loss to a 14-man South Africa. Les Bleus, despite a man advantage, “cracked under pressure,” extending their losing streak to four and failing to get their World Cup revenge.
“Around the 60th minute we had three clear chances where we should have scored,” Galthié lamented. Instead, his team “conceded a series of penalties” and was “forced to defend,” leading to Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s “costly yellow card.”
This “disintegration” of discipline was all the “ruthless” Springboks needed. They “punished every mistake.” André Esterhuizen powered over from a maul, and Grant Williams darted through a “splintered” defence.
The match had started so brightly, with Damian Penaud breaking the national try-scoring record. But that, and Lood de Jager’s red card, was not enough to stop the “wiser, calmer” Boks.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s try capped the “remarkable comeback.” The Boks’ “sheer physicality” and “composure” “overwhelmed” a French side that lost its way.
Galthié’s Woe: Missed Chances, Penalties Haunt France in Bok Loss
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