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Some victories carry double weight in the message they broadcast. Amid the flurry of weekend rugby Tests, it was Saturday night's score in Paris that will resonate most enduringly across the globe. Not just the conclusion, but also the approach of success. To say that the Springboks overturned several established theories would be an modest description of the rugby year.

Unexpected Turnaround

So much for the notion, for example, that the French team would make amends for the injustice of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. That entering the closing stages with a narrow lead and an extra man would result in assumed success. That even without their key player their captain, they still had sufficient strategies to contain the big beasts at a distance.

As it turned out, it was a case of counting their poulets too early. Having been trailing by four points, the reduced Springboks ended up scoring 19 unanswered points, confirming their standing as a side who increasingly save their best for the most challenging situations. While beating New Zealand 43-10 in September was a statement, this was definitive evidence that the leading international squad are developing an more robust mentality.

Pack Power

Actually, the coach's title-winning pack are beginning to make opposing sides look less intense by contrast. Scotland and England experienced their promising spells over the weekend but did not have the same dominant forwards that effectively reduced the home side to ruins in the last half-hour. Several up-and-coming young French forwards are coming through but, by the final whistle, Saturday night was hommes contre garçons.

What was perhaps even more striking was the mental strength driving it all. In the absence of their lock forward – shown a dismissal before halftime for a dangerous contact of the French full-back – the Springboks could easily have become disorganized. As it happened they just circled the wagons and proceeded to pulling the demoralized boys in blue to what one former French international described as “extreme physical pressure.”

Leadership and Inspiration

Following the match, having been borne aloft around the Stade de France on the immense frames of two key forwards to honor his hundredth Test, the South African skipper, the inspirational figure, repeatedly highlighted how a significant number of his team have been required to overcome personal challenges and how he hoped his squad would similarly continue to inspire others.

The ever-sage a commentator also made an astute comment on sports media, suggesting that Erasmus’s record more and more make him the rugby's version of the Manchester United great. If South Africa manage to claim a third straight world title there will be complete assurance. Should they come up short, the smart way in which the coach has refreshed a potentially ageing roster has been an exemplary model to other teams.

Emerging Talent

Take for example his 23-year-old fly-half the newcomer who sprinted past for the late try that decisively broke the opposition line. Additionally another half-back, a second playmaker with explosive speed and an more acute ability to spot openings. Naturally it helps to have the support of a dominant set of forwards, with the powerful center riding shotgun, but the ongoing metamorphosis of the South African team from physically imposing units into a team who can also float like butterflies and strike decisively is remarkable.

French Flashes

Which is not to say that France were completely dominated, in spite of their fading performance. The wing's second try in the right corner was a good illustration. The forward dominance that tied in the South African pack, the superb distribution from Ramos and the try-scorer's execution into the perimeter signage all exhibited the traits of a team with notable skill, even in the absence of their captain.

However, that ultimately proved inadequate, which really is a sobering thought for competing teams. It is inconceivable, for example, that Scotland could have gone 17-0 down to South Africa and come galloping back in the way they did in their fixture. Despite England’s strong finish, there is a journey ahead before the national side can be confident of standing up to the South African powerhouses with high stakes.

European Prospects

Overcoming an improving Fiji proved tricky enough on the weekend although the next encounter against the All Blacks will be the contest that accurately reflects their end-of-year series. The All Blacks are definitely still beatable, particularly without Jordie Barrett in their backline, but when it comes to capitalizing on opportunities they continue to be a level above most the home unions.

The Scottish team were notably at fault of not finishing off the final nails and uncertainties still surround England’s optimal back division. It is fine ending matches well – and much preferable than losing them late on – but their commendable winning sequence this year has so far shown just one success over top-drawer opposition, a close result over the French in earlier in the year.

Future Prospects

Hence the importance of this next weekend. Analyzing the situation it would look like a number of adjustments are expected in the starting lineup, with experienced individuals being reinstated to the lineup. Up front, similarly, regular starters should return from the start.

However perspective matters, in rugby as in reality. In the lead-up to the upcoming world championship the {rest