The national rugby union teams of France and South Africa (the Springboks) have been playing each other in Test rugby since 1913. Their first meeting, held in Bordeaux, was on 11 January 1913, and was won 38–5 by South Africa.
Rugby World Cup France and South Africa have met twice in the Rugby World Cup, both in the knockout stages, and both being hard-fought games with close results. South Africa has won both meetings, and went on to win the cup on both occasions. In the 1995 Rugby World Cup held in South Africa, they met in the semifinal, with South Africa winning 19–15 in the rain.
In the 2023 Rugby World Cup held in France, South Africa met France in the quarterfinals, with South Africa winning 29–28 in what is regarded as one of the greatest matches in World Cup history.
Summary Overall Details Played Won byFrance Won bySouth Africa Drawn France points South Africa points In France236161374479 In South Africa246135363547Overall47122967371026
Records Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set. RecordFranceSouth AfricaLongest winning streak3 (26 November 2005 – 12 June 2010)7 (12 June 2010 – 12 November 2022)Largest points forHome32 (15 November 1997)42 (12 June 2010)Away36 (24 June 2006)52 (22 November 1997)Largest winning marginHome20 (9 November 2002)25 (12 June 2010)Away10 (24 June 2006)42 (22 November 1997)Largest aggregate score68 (France 32–36 South Africa) (15 November 1997)
Results No. Date Venue Score Winner Competition 1 11 January 1913 Parc Lescure, Bordeaux 5–38 1912–13 South Africa tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France 2 16 February 1952 Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 3–25 1951–52 South Africa tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France 3 26 July 1958 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 3–3 draw1958 France tour of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia 4 16 August 1958 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 5–9 5 18 February 1961 Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 0–0 draw 1960–61 South Africa tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France 6 25 July 1964 Pam Brink Stadium, Springs 6–8 1964 France tour of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia 7 15 July 1967 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 26–3 1967 France tour of South Africa and Rhodesia 8 22 July 1967 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 16–3 9 29 July 1967 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 14–19 10 12 August 1967 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 6–6 draw 11 9 November 1968 Parc Lescure, Bordeaux 9–12 1968 South Africa tour of France 12 16 November 1968 Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes 11–16 13 12 June 1971 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 22–9 1971 France tour of South Africa 14 19 June 1971 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 8–8 draw 15 23 November 1974 Stadium Municipal, Toulouse 4–13 1974 South Africa tour of France 16 30 November 1974 Parc des Princes, Paris 8–10 17 21 June 1975 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 38–25 1975 France tour of South Africa 18 28 June 1975 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 33–18 19 8 November 1980 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 37–15 1980 France tour of South Africa 20 17 October 1992 Stade de Gerland, Lyon 15–20 1992 South Africa tour of England and France 21 24 October 1992 Parc des Princes, Paris 29–16 22 26 June 1993 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 20–20 draw1993 France tour of South Africa 23 3 July 1993 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 17–18 24 17 June 1995 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 19–15 1995 Rugby World Cup 25 30 November 1996 Parc Lescure, Bordeaux 12–22 1996 South Africa tour of Argentina and Europe 26 7 December 1996 Parc des Princes, Paris 12–13 27 15 November 1997 Stade de Gerland, Lyon 32–36 1997 South Africa tour of Great Britain, France and Italy 28 22 November 1997 Parc des Princes, Paris 10–52 29 16 June 2001 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 23–32 2001 France tour of South Africa and New Zealand 30 23 June 2001 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 20–15 31 10 November 2001 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 20–10 2001 South Africa tour of Europe and the United States 32 9 November 2002 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 30–10 2002 end-of-year rugby union internationals 33 18 June 2005 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 30–30 draw2005 France tour of Australia and South Africa 34 25 June 2005 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 27–13 35 26 November 2005 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 26–20 2005 end-of-year rugby union tests 36 24 June 2006 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 26–36 2006 June International 37 13 November 2009 Stadium Municipal, Toulouse 20–13 2009 end-of-year rugby union tests 38 12 June 2010 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 42–17 2010 June International 39 23 November 2013 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 10–19 2013 end-of-year rugby union tests 40 10 June 2017 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 37–14 2017 France tour of South Africa 41 17 June 2017 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 37–15 42 24 June 2017 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 35–12 43 18 November 2017 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 17–18 2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals 44 10 November 2018 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 26–29 2018 end-of-year rugby union internationals 45 12 November 2022 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 30–26 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals 46 15 October 2023 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 28–29 2023 Rugby World Cup47 8 November 2025 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 17–32 2025 end-of-year rugby union internationals
List of series Played Won byFrance Won bySouth Africa Drawn 13 2 9 2
Year France South Africa Series winner 1958 1 0 1967 1 2 1968 0 2 1971 0 1 1974 0 2 1975 0 2 1992 1 1 draw 1993 1 0 1996 0 2 1997 0 2 2001 1 1 draw 2005 0 1 2017 0 3
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