In Marseille
In a last effort, the French melee wins its South African counterpart and offers a new penalty to its sniper, Thomas Ramos.
There are less than three minutes to play and the Blues only lead 27 to 26. Thanks to a strong try from the substitute pillar, Falatea, registered in the 74th minute, to finally regain the advantage (27-26).
The Toulouse rear, for the seventh time of the evening (against a single miss), did not miss the target.
30 to 26 and 120 seconds to play.
This time, it's Moefana, the cousin of… Falatea, who snatches the winning ball.
A family matter.
And a twelfth success in a row for these Blues who never give up.
It was announced, the shock would be intense, ferocious, brutal.
At the limit.
And beyond.
From the 11th minute, Pieter-Stephen du Toit was guilty of a violent clearing in the face of Jonathan Danty.
After video, the English referee Wayne Barnes, who directed his 111th international meeting - a record -, released the red card.
The best player of the year 2019 was excluded from the battle.
Danty too.
Between concussion protocol and damaged cheekbone, the young dad was not allowed to come back into play. Other concussion protocols were to follow.
Uini Atonio and Bongi Mbonambi (29th), then Thibaud Flament (31st).
As for Cyril Baille, he is forced to give up the big fight, hit in the adductors of the left thigh (32nd), raising fears of a relapse of the injury for which he had been operated on in August.
The Toulouse pillar had however had time to signal by registering, in the 20th minute, a strong try at the foot of the South African posts.
Thanks to the infallible boot of Thomas Ramos, the XV of France then led 13-0 against world champions reduced to 14. What dream of a solo rider of the Blues.
Missed.
A penalty from Cheslin Kolbe, propelled scorer, then a try from the exemplary captain Siya Kolisi (30th), transformed by the Toulon winger, brought the Springboks within range (13-10).
The fight was still as engaged and, just before the break, Ramos gave a bit of air to his team (16-10, 40th).
If the break had allowed Atonio and Mbonambi to come to their senses and return to the lawn, the game of destruction continued.
In the 48th minute, Antoine Dupont did not jump and overthrew Cheslin Kolbe in the air.
Red card for the French captain and exit, soon final, on concussion (the 4th since the kick-off) of the star of the RCT.
The match was getting hotter and hotter.
Winger Arendse scored just after (51st) the try which allowed the world champions to finally go ahead on the scoreboard (19-20, then 19-23 on a distant penalty from Faf de Klerk, 55th).
Ahead until the last efforts of the irreducible French.
Who, since the start of Fabien Galthié's mandate, have now hooked all the major nations - New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Argentina,
