Exclusive: Bryan Habana Predicts Hostile Paris Reunion as France Seek Revenge on the Springboks

The fact that legendary Bok winger Bryan Habana is fluent in French might just give him even better insight into just how badly Les Bleus want revenge on the Springboks.

Just over two years ago, the Springboks held out for a famous 29-28 victory at Stade de France in the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup.

It was a loss that was difficult to bear for the French with their adoring fans left stunned after the seven-try thriller as the Springboks scored an epic Rugby World Cup comeback, on their way to a fourth title in the quadrennial showpiece.

The Springboks’ leading try-scorer, with his tally of 67 five-pointers, gave his insight into South Africa’s Test against France this weekend, which will be a rematch of that historic quarterfinal and will feature a strong theme of revenge at the same venue. 

Kolisi’s 100th Test and Dupont’s Absence

“There will probably be a lot of hostility at Stade de France over the weekend. Hopefully, we’ll be celebrating Siya Kolisi paying his 100th Test match for the country,” Habana told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview at the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational at Sun City.

“And as big a moment as that will be, it’s going to be as big a moment being able to relive what happened two years ago in Paris with at one point victory in the quarterfinal.”

The Springboks looked in fine form in their ‘warm-up’ Test against Japan last weekend, with a rampant 61-7 victory in London. That also served to exercise any ghosts from their shock 2015 Rugby World Cup defeat to the Asian outfit.

Looking ahead to the France clash now, the home nation will be without their talismanic scrum-half, Antoine Dupont. Ironically, in their World Cup clash the last time the sides met, Dupont had only just recovered in time to play a part in the match.

Home Advantage Crucial for France Despite Missing Key Players

Habana believed missing such a big-name player would certainly not aid the French cause, but that home ground advantage would be massive.

“A French team that maybe doesn't have one or two of their big stars, like Antoine Dupont currently still injured, but a French team who at home has become extremely formidable.”

Meanwhile, the Springboks are riding the crest of many South African waves, it seems. Not only are they the top-ranked side in the world, they’ve won the last two Webb Ellis trophies on offer as well as consecutive Rugby Championship titles. 

Credit: Michael Sherman (SportsBoom)

France Drops to Fifth in Rankings

In contrast, France have recently dropped to fifth in the rankings, and the Springboks should start out as favourites for the clash.

“South Africa, after an incredibly successful back-to-back Rugby Championship [titles], will go into this end-of-year northern hemisphere tour with a lot of hope and vigour."

“I'm looking forward to being there and hopefully getting to see us settle the dust about what happened two years ago, but I look forward to what is going to be an epic northern hemisphere tour.”

The mind games are also in full swing ahead of the clash, as the Boks’ Irish assistant coach, Felix Jones, downplayed any thought of the match being about revenge.

For France, it seems, it will be about nothing else. Scrum-half Maxime Lucu said that World Cup loss stuck with his country, adding: “It was our World Cup, and they came and stole it off us.”