France v South Africa: Rugby World Cup 2023 – live

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Match report

Here’s Michael Aylwin’s report from an extraordinary night in Paris. See you next week for the semi-finals – and thanks for all your tweets and emails. Au revoir.

Updated at 17.30 EDT

Eben Etzebeth: “That was an incredible Test match. A one-point game, could have gone either way. We are so relieved, the French must feel heartbroken. It was a massive team effort. We’ll enjoy it tonight, then focus on England and a huge game.”

Maybe it’s too simplistic for such a tight, tactical battle – but I keep wondering how South Africa managed to want it more than France.

Jacques Nienaber: “Playing France here in Paris was a massive challenge, the momentum shifted during the game, but experience and that calm edge saw us through.”

On the tap penalty that led to Etzebeth’s try: “it was something we worked on … we had an opportunity just before that but France stole our lineout, and we wanted to take this opportunity.

On facing England: “It’s going to be tight from here, that’s what World Cup knockout rugby is about. It could be another one-pointer.”

Des Brown is more optimistic, pointing to the 2007 World Cup when England lost 36-0 to South Africa (stay with us here) … and fought back to reach the final, beating hosts and favourites France in the semi-finals. It’s on!

As for England’s prospects:

“My jaw dropped with that French penalty with 10 mins to go! Kick for the corner!” writes Feargal. Well, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it’s a fair point. South Africa were in a similar position, went for the try and got it. You don’t want to die wondering, and France might feel that’s what happened tonight.

So many immense performances from South Africa – Etzebeth, Du Toit, Mbonambi (the player of the match) in the pack, Kolbe, De Allende and Arendse at the back – and the risky tactical changes early in the second half paid off. The Springboks’ 5:3 bench proved stronger, with Nche, De Klerk and Kwagga Smith all excellent and Handre Pollard kicking what proved to be the winning penalty.

Updated at 17.25 EDT

A great point from Guy here – had Kolbe not chased down that Ramos conversion, France would be in the semi-finals.

Siya Kolisi: “I want to say well done to the French team, and their fans – they can be proud of their team. We really wanted it, we knew how tough it was going to be. The people back at home, they can’t afford to be here, but they send videos, schools sing for us. We play for a nation, it’s not for us. Win or lose, we will always fight for it.”

“Can England just forfeit?” honks Jeff Sax. Clearly, Steve Borthwick’s mob would have been big underdogs against either side – but I feel like France, under pressure of home expectations, were marginally the better opponents for England to get.

As Tim points out on email, predictions of a northern final-four lockout have proved way off. Instead, the only northern hemisphere team in the semi-finals is … England. While we’re at it, they’re also now the only unbeaten team left in the tournament.

Full time: France 28-29 South Africa

C’est fini. The hosts’ World Cup dream is shattered, France beaten by a point after an extraordinary performance from South Africa. The Springboks simply will not let go of their trophy, and their defence sucked the life from their opponents in a brutal second half.

South Africa’s players celebrate. Photograph: Themba Hadebe/APFrance’s players react with dismay. Photograph: Themba Hadebe/AP

Updated at 17.01 EDT

80 mins: France 28-29 South Africa Into 10 phases, close to drop-goal range – but the ball pops out, Arendse gathers and kicks into touch. Delirium for South Africa, despair for France!

79 mins: Penaud wins it back and then bursts beyond the gain line. The clock is heading into the red. This is France’s last chance …

77 mins: France 28-29 South Africa The tension is almost unbearable. France win the scrum and surge upfield, the crowd barely able to roar them on. Bielle-Biarrey finds Penaud, who somehow keeps it in play, finding Fickou. But South Africa are back in numbers, relentless, and force a turnover!

Updated at 16.52 EDT

76 mins: De Klerk’s throw hits a French player and we’ll restart with a French put-in at the scrum. We go through two resets, with Ben O’Keeffe talking to the front-rowers. He wants stability and space. Don’t we all, Ben?

75 mins: Mbonambi, who has been everywhere up front, is going off –Du Toit is coming back on to restock the pack. Ramos’ kick goes straight into touch – that could be a costly mistake, with South Africa getting the penalty.

74 mins: France 28-29 South Africa The Springboks win the ball from the scrum, and Kolbe goes for a cheeky drop goal! It drops well wide, though. Deep breaths, everyone …

France 28-29 South Africa (Ramos pen 72′)

Just look at that scoreline. Ramos adds the three points, and there’s a point in this game. Matthieu Jalibert is going off, replaced by the wing Yoram Moefana, leaving Dupont alone as the creative force.

70 mins: Dupont reverts to the chip-kick tactic that worked so well in the first half. He finds Jalibert, who slaloms past Pollard. France have a penalty advantage, Dupont’s diagonal kick collected by the excellent Arendse. Ramos will take the three points …

France 25-29 South Africa (Pollard pen 68′)

He never looks like missing, and the lead stretches to four points! Seko Macalou comes on for Aldritt in the French back row.

68 mins: Smith wins a penalty just behind the halfway line, but replays suggest he put his hand down for too long while trying to claim the ball. It’s not overturned, and Pollard will go for this …

TRY! France 25-26 South Africa (Etzebeth 67′)

Snyman goes headlong into the blue wall ahead, and a French player is offside. Penalty advantage, but De Klerk wants the score and finds Etzebeth – who hauls three players with him as he crashes over the line. Pollard converts, and South Africa lead!

South Africa’s lock Eben Etzebeth (C) breaks through to score. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 16.51 EDT

65 mins: South Africa snatch the ball at a scrum and kick downfield. Dupont has to scramble back and while he collects it, he’s isolated – and has to concede the penalty. The Boks turn down the penalty. Big call – will it pay off?

“What a match!” says Denis O’Brien. “End to end but France are a touch more fluid.” On the other hand, I’m not sure South Africa are capable of admitting defeat.

63 mins: It’s been a very different second half, but no less compelling in its own way. South Africa’s bench is now empty, Vincent Koch on for Malherbe. Try-scorer Mauvaka is replaced by Pierre Bourgarit as France refresh their front row.

62 mins: France sweep upfield again, still with no changes outside the pack. Danty’s muscle starts the move, before Dupont’s pass evades Jalibert and almost lands at Kolbe’s feet. A nation ducks behind their sofas, but France keep ball and Ollivon is stopped by an ankle-tap from De Klerk.

61 mins: A telling stat – South Africa have missed 31 tackles to France’s 12. Du Toit is going off for a head injury assessment (I think), with No 8 Vermeulen coming back on.

60 mins: France’s turn to defend from the front, forcing a quickfire Springboks move further and further backwards until Le Roux knocks on. The hosts have a 6:2 split in favour of forwards on their bench, South Africa have gone 5-3. France have two forwards yet to come on, the Boks just one.

59 mins: Aldegheri is welcomed to the game by Ox Nche, forcing an error at the scrum. Boks penalty, kicked to the corner … but France claim the lineout!

58 mins: Is the momentum shifting again? Kolbe produces another outrageous, ankle-snapping run through the middle but France hold on. Dorian Aldegheri replaces Atonio in the hosts’ front row.

57 mins: France penalty, but a shocking kick from Jalibert goes backwards into touch. A few errors creeping in from the hosts with the finish line on the horizon.

Updated at 16.22 EDT

56 mins: What can South Africa do in attack after being penned back since the restart? Arendse beats Bielle-Biarrey in the air and Kwagga Smith surges forward – but France stay firm, more good work from Taofifenua forcing Smith to hold on too long.

France 25-19 South Africa (Ramos pen 54′)

It’s an easy one on most nights, but not tonight. Still, Ramos lifts it between the sticks easily enough – and France extend their lead.

53 mins: The new front row lads get acquainted in another ferocious scrum, with Nche penalised for going on to his knee. Penalty advantage, and the Springboks are flying into every tackle. In the end, Ramos opts to kick for goal …

52 mins: Willie Le Roux, Kwagga Smith and Ox Nche – an exceptional collection of names – come on for South Africa, replacing Willemse, Vermeulen and Kitshoff. Anthony Jelonch is going off for France, replaced by Francois Cros.

51 mins: Taofifenua makes an immediate impact, bulldozing through a tackle and offloading neatly to Alldritt. Again, though, the green wall holds firm, and France’s search for a fourth try goes on.

50 mins: France’s first changes are more functional, with Reda Wardi and Romain Taofifenua on for Baille and Flament. “Do we have an exact speed Cheslin Kolbe was running when he charged down that conversion?” asks Daley Smith. “It was astonishingly quick.”

49 mins: More exceptional defence from South Africa in the face of fluid French attack, led by the double-pronged attack of Dupont and Jalibert. This time, Frans Malherbe strips the ball away and Pollard clears. Etzebeth returns to the field, his sin-bin time served.

France’s Antoine Dupont runs away from his opponents. Photograph: Themba Hadebe/AP

Updated at 16.26 EDT

48 mins: One theory is that the Boks coaches want their forwards to carry more, rather than stay defensive. Taking off your captain and fly-half (both of whom were playing well) feels like a match-defining decision. Will Galthié respond, or bide his time?

46 mins: Dupont breaks clear of the tackle on the left but sees his kick-through towards Bielle-Biarrey intercepted. Another change for South Africa, and it’s the captain, Siya Kolisi, who departs! He’s replaced by hooker Deon Fourie in a bold reshuffle of the forward line.

44 mins: South Africa have held this second-half wave so far, but are now making changes – with Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok both going off! Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard come on, with RG Snyman replacing Franco Mostert in the second row.

42 mins: French aggression at the scrum, and Kolbe clears well under pressure. France dominate at the breakdown and Ollivon advances. Fickou is picked out on the right but runs into a forest of green shirts, and eventually Dupont’s rangy pass back is spilled by Penaud.

Part deux

France kick off the second half, and it’s confirmed that Etzebeth will be back – it stays a yellow card, but he still has eight minutes to wait.

“This is how rugby needs to be played,” nods Jeff Sax. I agree in principle, although my hands are hurting a bit.

“It’s a shame Cyril Baille scored France’s third and that it wasn’t Uini Atonio – that way France’s try scorers would have been numbers 1, 2 and 3,” says Andy Flintoff (not that one).

Interesting also that France have scored three tries through front-rowers, with South Africa’s backs running in three on the break.

“This is what you get when a tall guy tries to tackle a much shorter guy,” says Henry. “Eben has already lowered his body and gets headbutted because the French player spins round!” For what it’s worth, I can’t see his yellow card being upgraded to red, and for the sake of the game, I hope it isn’t.

“This is astonishing!” cheers Timothy Beecroft. “Are both teams going to carry on like this or will one of them try to close things down?” I think it will inevitably tighten up – the stakes are just too high – but both these teams and coaches want to do things differently, so who knows?

Half time! France 22-19 South Africa

After that diversion, Ramos kicks the penalty and the hosts lead by three points after a thrilling, relentless half of rugby. More soon.