France head coach Fabian Galthié refused to dwell on the 2023 World Cup quarter-final defeat to South Africa preferring to laud them as the best team on the planet as his players went through their final paces for Saturday’s Test match at the Stade de France.
Issued on: 07/11/2025 – 18:15
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Their last meeting at the same venue resulted in a 29-28 victory for South Africa to take them into the semi-finals.
The South Africans disposed of England and then New Zealand in the final to join New Zealand as the only nations to retain the Webb Ellis trophy since the inception of the tournament in 1987.
“The past feeds us, but we are focused on the future,” Galthié said before the first of his squad’s three games against separate opponents in the autumn internationals.
“We have to look ahead to the 20 matches to come for France before the 2027 World Cup.
“It will be an immense challenge against South Africa. This South Africa team is perhaps the best team that has ever existed,” Galthié added.
Warm words
“It’s a nice compliment,” said Galthié’s South Africa counterpart Rassie Erasmus.
“But those French guys who are playing against us won’t believe that we’re the best team in the world. They will go out there and try to beat us proper. But I appreciate what he [Galthié] is saying,”
France, the reigning European champions, will field six of the team that went down in the epic two years ago. South Africa will send out nine of the squad that prevailed in front of a wildly partisan stadium.
Skipper Siya Kolisi led the team to that victory and the 34-year-old will stride out at the head of his teammates on Saturday night in what will be his 100th appearance for South Africa.
“That will definitely not distract us,” Erasmus insisted. “When those milestones come, if you make them bigger than the match, then you tend to come second,” added the 52-year-old who will be supervising operations for the 50th time on Saturday.
Paying tribute to Kolisi, Erasmus said: “He’s been on the tough side of being a South African and has grown to being a great leader in South Africa.
“His humbleness is something that is a standout for me,” Erasmus added.
“As for me, my 50th match in charge is not a big thing. We haven’t mentioned it. Just to be a part of the team is awesome.”
South Africa have lost four times in 23 games since the World Cup triumph at the Stade de France on 28 October 2023.
Just over two years on, Kolisi said the squad wanted to finish 2025 as the top ranked team in the world.
“Every match counts for us,” he added. “And we know how important the points will be for us if we win this match.”
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South Africa lost and then regained the top spot in the world rankings from New Zealand on their way to claiming the four-nation Rugby Championship.
A defeat against France combined with a victory for New Zealand against Scotland on 8 November would reverse the rankings, according to the international federation’s calculations.
Currently fifth behind third-paced Ireland and England in fourth, France will leapfrog that duo with a win as Ireland and England face lower-ranked nations in Japan and Fiji respectively.
“The match is always important, especially against the French, because they are among the teams that rely heavily on set pieces,” added Kolisi. “If your scrum and lineout are dominant, that’s important. They have incredible backs, just like us.”
South Africa walloped Japan 61-7 at Wembley Stadium in London to launch their European tour on 1 November.
After playing France, the South Africans go to Turin to take on Italy and then over to Dublin to play Ireland on 15 November. Their European voyage ends in Cardiff on 22 November against Wales.
France play Fiji in Bordeaux on 15 November before a return to Saint Denis for a clash against Australia in a fortnight.
