In June 2017, France played a three-test series against South Africa as part of the 2017 mid-year rugby union tests. They played the Springboks over the three-week June International window (5 June–25 June), and the matches were part of the fifth year of the global rugby calendar established by the World Rugby, which runs through to 2019. This was France' first visit to South Africa since 2010 and the first test series between the teams since 2005. The last time the sides met was during the 2013 end-of-year international, where South Africa won 19–10 in Paris.
Fixtures Date Venue Home Score Away 10 June 2017 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 37–14 17 June 2017 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 37–15 24 June 2017 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 35–12
Squads Note: Ages, caps and clubs are as per 10 June 2017, the first test match of the tour.
France On 27 May, France named a 35-man squad ahead of their three-test series against South Africa.
On 29 May, Nans Ducuing was called up to the squad as an injury replacement for Djibril Camara.
On 5 June, Paul Jedrasiak and François Trinh-Duc were called up to the squad as injury cover for Arthur Iturria and Camille Lopez.
Coaching team: Head coach: Guy Novès Defence coach: Gerald Bastide Backs coach: Jean-Frederic Dubois Forwards coach: Yannick Bru
South Africa South Africa named a 31-man squad for South Africa's three-test series against France on 23 May 2017.
Coaching team: Head coach: Allister Coetzee Defence coach: Brendan Venter Backs coach: Franco Smith Forwards coach: Johann van Graan
Matches First test
FB 15Andries CoetzeeRW 14Raymond Rhule OC 13Jesse Kriel IC 12Jan SerfonteinLW 11Courtnall SkosanFH 10Elton JantjiesSH 9 Ross Cronjé N8 8 Warren Whiteley (c)OF 7 Oupa Mohojé BF 6 Siya KolisiRL 5 Franco Mostert LL 4 Eben EtzebethTP 3 Frans Malherbe HK 2 Malcolm Marx LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:HK 16Bongi Mbonambi PR 17Steven Kitshoff PR 18Coenie Oosthuizen LK 19Pieter-Steph du Toit FL 20Jean-Luc du Preez SH 21Francois Hougaard FH 22François Steyn WG 23Dillyn Leyds Coach: Allister Coetzee FB 15Brice Dulin RW 14Yoann HugetOC 13Henry ChavancyIC 12Gaël FickouLW 11Virimi VakatawaFH 10Jules Plisson SH 9 Maxime Machenaud N8 8 Louis Picamoles OF 7 Loann Goujon BF 6 Yacouba CamaraRL 5 Yoann Maestri (c)LL 4 Julien Le DevedecTP 3 Uini Atonio HK 2 Clément Maynadier LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Replacements:HK 16Camille Chat PR 17Eddy Ben Arous PR 18Mohamed Boughanmi FL 19Bernard Le Roux FL 20Kevin Gourdon SH 21Baptiste Serin FH 22Jean-Marc Doussain WG 23Vincent Rattez Coach: Guy Novès Man of the Match: Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
Touch judges: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) Marius Mitrea (Italy) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronjé, Dillyn Leyds, Raymond Rhule and Courtnall Skosan (all South Africa) and Mohamed Boughanmi and Vincent Rattez (both France) made their international debuts.
Second test
FB 15Andries CoetzeeRW 14Raymond Rhule OC 13Lionel Mapoe IC 12Jan SerfonteinLW 11Courtnall SkosanFH 10Elton JantjiesSH 9 Ross Cronjé N8 8 Warren Whiteley (c)OF 7 Oupa Mohojé BF 6 Siya KolisiRL 5 Franco Mostert LL 4 Eben Etzebeth TP 3 Frans Malherbe HK 2 Malcolm Marx LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:HK 16Bongi Mbonambi PR 17Steven Kitshoff PR 18Coenie Oosthuizen LK 19Pieter-Steph du Toit FL 20Jean-Luc du Preez SH 21Francois Hougaard FH 22François Steyn WG 23Dillyn Leyds Coach: Allister Coetzee FB 15Scott SpeddingRW 14Yoann Huget OC 13Damian PenaudIC 12Gaël FickouLW 11Virimi VakatawaFH 10François Trinh-Duc SH 9 Baptiste Serin N8 8 Louis Picamoles OF 7 Kevin Gourdon BF 6 Yacouba CamaraRL 5 Romain Taofifénua LL 4 Yoann Maestri TP 3 Rabah Slimani HK 2 Guilhem Guirado (c) LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Replacements:HK 16Clément Maynadier PR 17Eddy Ben Arous PR 18Uini Atonio FL 19Julien Le Devedec FL 20Bernard Le Roux SH 21Antoine Dupont FH 22Jean-Marc Doussain WG 23Nans Ducuing Coach: Guy Novès Man of the Match: Siya Kolisi (South Africa)
Touch judges: Glen Jackson (New Zealand) Angus Gardner (Australia) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Nans Ducuing and Damian Penaud (both France) made their international debuts. Penaud scored a try on his debut. Elton Jantjies passed 100 international points.
Third test
FB 15Andries CoetzeeRW 14Raymond Rhule OC 13Jesse Kriel IC 12Jan SerfonteinLW 11Courtnall SkosanFH 10Elton JantjiesSH 9 Francois Hougaard N8 8 Jean-Luc du Preez OF 7 Jaco Kriel BF 6 Siya KolisiRL 5 Franco Mostert LL 4 Eben Etzebeth (c) TP 3 Ruan Dreyer HK 2 Malcolm Marx LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:HK 16Bongi Mbonambi PR 17Steven Kitshoff PR 18Coenie Oosthuizen LK 19Pieter-Steph du Toit LK 20Lood de Jager SH 21Rudy Paige FH 22François Steyn WG 23Dillyn Leyds Coach: Allister Coetzee FB 15Brice DulinRW 14Nans DucuingOC 13Damian Penaud IC 12Gaël FickouLW 11Virimi Vakatawa FH 10Jules Plisson SH 9 Baptiste Serin N8 8 Louis Picamoles OF 7 Kevin Gourdon BF 6 Yacouba Camara RL 5 Romain Taofifénua LL 4 Yoann Maestri TP 3 Rabah Slimani HK 2 Guilhem Guirado (c) LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Replacements:HK 16Clément Maynadier PR 17Xavier Chiocci PR 18Uini Atonio LK 19Paul Jedrasiak FL 20Loann Goujon SH 21Maxime Machenaud FH 22François Trinh-Duc WG 23Vincent Rattez Coach: Guy Novès Man of the Match:
Touch judges: Glen Jackson (New Zealand) Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Ruan Dreyer (South Africa) made his international debut. South African captain Warren Whiteley was declared as forfeit just before the kick-off.
See also 2017 mid-year rugby union internationals History of rugby union matches between France and South Africa
References