THE SHOW ROLLS on. Twenty-four hours on from Ireland’s devastating World Cup quarter-final exit, over 80,000 supporters descended on the Stade de France again to watch the second of the weekend’s mammoth knockout ties in Paris.
Overnight the colour had washed out of the city. As the day rolled on, waves of blue began to emerge as the sea of green made their way home. For a couple of brilliant, vibrant weekends in France, it had felt like this could be Ireland’s tournament. Now the hosts stepped back in, ready to pick up where they left off on the opening weekend in Saint Denis.
Tonight, France were back in Paris for the first time since beating the All Blacks here in early September. To the relief of the home support, Antoine Dupont was with them. The France captain’s facial injury has been the major story of this tournament but with a metal plate inserted, the gifted scrum-half was in place to lead his side against the Springboks.
Naturally, there were fears his return came to soon. Dupont was cleared to play tonight, but there’s not a doctor in the world who would recommend running at 15 Springboks just three weeks after having surgery on your face.
Over an hour before kick-off, French TV broadcast from the French dressing room, standing at Dupont’s jersey. You didn’t need subtitles to get a grasp of the conversation. The pressure on Dupont to make it back and deliver for his country has been palpable here over the past few weeks.
The man himself was met with a rapturous applause when he emerged 45 minutes before kick-off to warm-up.
With the anthems done and the teams ready, he stuck on his new scrum cap and prepared to sprinkle his magic over another intoxicating night at this wonderful arena.
It took the Toulouse man just 58 seconds to bring some stardust to proceedings, producing a wonderful, inventive kick over his shoulder which sparked France into life. In a flash, Louis Bielle-Biarrey was haring forward, only to be beaten to the ball in the corner. The first warning shot had been fired.
Two minutes later, Cyril Baille went over after a huge maul shove. Over the next 38 minutes the teams would share five more tries between them as the contest thundered along at a ferocious pace.
After absorbing that lightening French start, South Africa roared into action. Kurt Lee Arendse speed over before Damian de Allende added a second from close range, finishing a move which started with his own destructive charge forward. Manie Libbok, so brilliant in open play yet so erratic from the tee, nailed the first conversation but missed his second.
Libbok was something of a surprise selection ahead of the more metronomic boot of Hande Pollard. His presence meant the Springboks wanted to stretch their hosts with fast ball and Libbok’s invention in possession.
France had no such problems producing the same via Dupont, who attacked the night with no concern for his recently broken face, taking the ball to the line and carrying into contact when there were safer options available to him. His pass selection and decision making were typically excellent during those early exchanges, with his half-back partner Matthieu Jalibert just as effective at 10.
From a quick-tap penalty he took a monstrous hit from Siya Kolisi, meeting the South Africa captain and releasing his pass out wide at the perfect time. Peato Mauvaka added the finish and France looked certain to move into the lead, only for Cheslin Kolbe to charge down Tomas Ramos’ conversion. Just one wild moment on a night full of them.
The Springboks tried to smother Dupont with their stunning linespeed. When he was swallowed up by Eben Etzebeth, Jesse Kriel clipped a smart kick forward for Kolbe to gather and beat Damian Penaud for pace. As Libbok lined up the conversion, Dupont pleaded with referee Ben O’Keefe. “I swear he touch the ball!” O’Keefe saw no foul and Libbok pushed his side five clear.
Dupont went again, slipping a ball in toward the corner only to see Kolbe snaffle it brilliantly.
His side moved level when Baille added a second just after the half hour mark, with Ramos converting to level the game.
Then South Africa’s discipline slipped. Etzebeth clattered into Uini Atonio. He was sent to the sideline for a 10 minute breather as Ramos’ penalty saw the hosts take a three point lead into the break. O’Keefe’s whistle sounded and 80,000 people exhaled.
South Africa’s next move was to try change the approach. Five minutes after the restart, Libbok and Reinach made way for Pollard and Faf de Klerk, who was soon being thrown around by Charles Ollivon off the ball.
After a long, breathless period of South African defence, Ramos clipped the hosts six up.
South Africa sought a response. Dupont threw himself into everything, clinging to Etzebeth as the big lock went to ground on the edge of the France 22. The Boks pushed their way in but left empty handed. Penaud flew into Pieter-Steph Du Toit, but O’Keefe was happy with the contact. It had now been over 30 minutes since the defending champions last put some points on the board, but their bench reinforcements began to pull back the momentum.
Slowly, the Stade sensed the oncoming onslaught. The Springboks scrum started to gain the upper hand and after hammering at the French line, Etzebeth went over and Pollard’s conversion moved South Africa a point clear. The out-half then added another three from distance as Dupont pleaded for a knock-on. France trailed by four and their World Cup was on the line.
A Ramos penalty cut it back to one with eight to play, but France began to look nervous. The pressure on the host nation hung heavy in the air and Dupont was at times guilty of forcing things. The Springboks can do that to the best of them. Ramos kicked a ball out on the full and when France needed to be twisting the screw, they found themselves under pressure in their own 22 again.
There was time for one last surge forward, but it ended with France losing the ball in drop goal range after 1o chaotic phases.
With the Stade stunned, Dupont and his teammates fell to the ground as their World Cup dreams were shattered. This had been billed as Dupont’s tournament. Tonight he defied the odds to play his part in another gripping World Cup quarter-final, but the fairytale ended in devastating fashion.