France delivered a significant blow to South Africa’s undefeated record in the Nations Championship with a 21-19 win at the Stade de France on Friday.
The result, reported by the BBC, marked the fourth victory in five pool matches for the French side.
Les Bleus now lead the northern hemisphere standings by six points with only one round of pool fixtures remaining.
South Africa continues to hold the top position in the southern hemisphere, though their standing remains vulnerable.
New Zealand could overtake the world champions if they manage a win against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, according to the tournament standings.
England is currently in second place in the northern pool following an emphatic 45-22 win over Australia last weekend.
The squad, led by Steve Borthwick, looks to narrow the gap to France when they face Japan at Allianz Stadium, as noted by match reporting.
Ireland remains in third place after securing a 42-12 victory over Argentina, with a match against Fiji scheduled for Saturday in Dublin.
Scotland currently sits in fourth place with two wins and two losses, preparing to face Australia at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Wales, while having secured a 28-21 win against Japan, currently holds fifth place in the standings.
The inaugural Nations Championship concludes with a finals weekend at Allianz Stadium from November 27 to November 29.
The tournament structure involves three rounds of fixtures in July and three in November to determine rankings.
The championship will be finalized by a series of play-off matches, with the top-ranked teams from each hemisphere competing for the title.
France is considered the favorite to secure a spot in the final when they meet Argentina on November 21.
The event also features a parallel, Ryder-Cup style hemisphere title, which is determined by points earned during the play-off weekend.
The first hemisphere to reach four points across those matches will be crowned the winner of the shield.