France suffered a disappointing quarter-final exit in the Rugby World Cup against South Africa, highlighting the importance of experience in big games. Despite the team’s belief in their talented new generation, they struggled to cope with referee Ben O’Keeffe’s decisions, while their substitutes had little impact compared to the Springboks’ key players. This result echoes France’s performance in the previous two World Cups, where they fell short of reaching the tournament’s final stages.
The memorable 2011 final, where France lost to New Zealand by a single point, also sparked debates about refereeing decisions. Since taking over as head coach after the 2019 World Cup, Fabien Galthie has been provided with ample resources to prepare for this year’s tournament. The French federation and league made arrangements to prioritize the national team. Additionally, the presence of Jerome Garces, the referee from the 2019 final, should have aided their preparation for the intense clash against South Africa.
While losing by only one point to the defending champions is not disgraceful, France invested significant financial resources, approximately nine million euros ($9.48 million), to benefit from the availability of players and a 50-strong support staff. Despite facing challenges due to an injury to influential flyhalf Romain Ntamack before the tournament, they were still expected to perform better.
France captain Antoine Dupont expressed frustration with the refereeing decisions, while Galthie maintained a more composed approach and congratulated South Africa on their victory. South Africa’s coach, Jacques Nienaber, highlighted the advantage of his team’s previous World Cup experience, enabling them to adapt during the match.
The majority of the French squad lacked the experience of high-pressure situations, emphasizing the learning opportunity presented by this defeat. Looking ahead, Galthie, whose contract extends until June 2028, will hope to have the necessary financial support for future campaigns. However, he can rely on the talents of Dupont, Ntamack, and the majority of the squad, as only lock Romain Taofifenua and prop Uini Atonio have announced their retirement from international rugby.
Additionally, Galthie may find solace in the fact that the 2027 World Cup will be hosted in the southern hemisphere, traditionally a strong performing ground for France. The team has reached two out of their three World Cup finals in this region, whereas they have lost all three knockout games played on home soil.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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