France secured a narrow 21-19 victory over South Africa at the Stade de France on Saturday, ending a five-match winless streak against the world champions, according to Yahoo Sports.
The hosts established an early advantage with three first-half tries from Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as reported by BBC Sport.
South Africa responded with tries from Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Reinach and Malcolm Marx, but the team failed to capitalize on late opportunities.
The visiting side faced adversity early in the second half when Jasper Wiese received a 20-minute red card for a shoulder charge, as noted in the BBC Sport live coverage.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Springboks maintained pressure through their set-piece strength.
The match reached a critical juncture when Manie Libbok missed a conversion attempt that would have leveled the score following the final try from Marx.
France captain Antoine Dupont, who was named player of the match, helped secure the result after Bielle-Biarrey forced a late turnover during a final South African offensive, per Yahoo Sports.
The victory places France in a strong position to top the northern hemisphere standings for the Nations Championship, while the result complicates the path for South Africa to reach the final.
The outcome has implications for England and Ireland, who remain in competition with France for a spot in the inaugural final scheduled for November 29 at Allianz Stadium, according to the BBC.
France now prepares to face Argentina next Saturday, while South Africa is set to travel to Dublin for a match against Ireland, the outlets reported.
The game featured a total of four cards, highlighting the physical intensity that mirrored previous high-stakes encounters between the two nations.
France coach Fabien Galthie deployed Dupont at number 10, a tactical shift necessitated by injuries to other primary fly-halves, though the captain spent much of the match operating in his traditional scrum-half role.