Rugby Union: South Africa's double act
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Your support makes all the difference.France 12
South Africa 13
South Africa yesterday held off France in the second of their two-Test series to complete a clean sweep.
France went into the match with seven changes to the team overwhelmed 22-12 in Bordeaux last Saturday while the Springboks, led by Gary Teichmann, kept the same XV for the fourth successive Test. The 1995 World Cup champions have now twice beaten Argentina and France on their South American and European tour after having lost a home Test series against New Zealand in August for the first time. That followed their disappointing Tri-Nations series efforts against the All Blacks and Australia.
France's Richard Dourthe opened the scoring just as he did the week before with an early penalty kick, and Henry Honiball replied in the 10th minute.
Hooker James Dalton, sent from the field in disgrace during the World Cup, sealed his comeback with a try in the 27th minute, and South Africa went into the break leading 10-3. After Honiball kicked another penalty eight minutes into the second half, Dourthe found his touch to land three more penalties to leave the game evenly poised at 13-12 with 18 minutes remaining. But neither side showed much attacking skill in the final quarter and the match petered out. The Springboks, who beat France in the World Cup semi-final in June 1995, have a 16-5 advantage in Tests against France. South Africa will play Wales next Sunday.
France: J-L Sadourny; L Leflamand, R Dourthe, S Glas, D Venditti; C Lamaison, G Accoceberry; C Califano, M dal Maso, F Tournaire, O Merle, F Pelous, P Benetton, A Benazzi (capt), R Castel.
South Africa: A Joubert; J Small, J Mulder, H le Roux, J Olivier; H Honiball, J van der Westhuizen; D Theron, J Dalton, A Garvey, K Wiese, M Andrews, R Kruger, G Teichmann (capt), A Venter.
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