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Some victories send double significance in the lesson they communicate. Among the flurry of weekend Test matches, it was Saturday night's result in Paris that will linger longest across the globe. Not only the end result, but also the style of achievement. To say that South Africa overturned various established beliefs would be an modest description of the season.

Unexpected Turnaround

Discard the idea, for instance, that France would avenge the disappointment of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. Assuming that going into the closing stages with a small margin and an additional player would translate into certain victory. Even in the absence of their star man their scrum-half, they still had sufficient strategies to keep the big beasts safely at bay.

As it turned out, it was a case of celebrating too soon prematurely. After being 17-13 down, the reduced Springboks ended up scoring 19 unanswered points, reinforcing their standing as a squad who increasingly deliver their finest rugby for the most demanding circumstances. Whereas beating New Zealand 43-10 in the last quarter was a message, this was definitive evidence that the leading international squad are building an greater resilience.

Set-Piece Superiority

Actually, Erasmus's title-winning pack are beginning to make everyone else look less intense by contrast. The Scottish and English sides experienced their promising spells over the recent fixtures but did not have the same dominant forwards that effectively reduced the home side to rubble in the last half-hour. Several up-and-coming young France's pack members are emerging but, by the end, the encounter was a mismatch in experience.

Even more notable was the mental strength supporting it all. Missing their lock forward – shown a 38th-minute straight red for a dangerous contact of Thomas Ramos – the South Africans could easily have faltered. Instead they just regrouped and began dragging the deflated home team to what an ex-France player called “extreme physical pressure.”

Captaincy and Motivation

Post-game, having been hoisted around the venue on the gigantic shoulders of two key forwards to mark his 100th cap, the Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, once again highlighted how many of his players have been needed to overcome life difficulties and how he hoped his squad would in the same way continue to motivate fans.

The perceptive David Flatman also made an astute observation on sports media, proposing that Erasmus’s record progressively make him the rugby coaching equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson. Should the Springboks manage to claim a third straight world title there will be complete assurance. Should they come up short, the smart way in which Erasmus has refreshed a possibly veteran roster has been an masterclass to all.

New Generation

Look no further than his young playmaker the rising star who darted through for the closing score that effectively shattered the French windows. Or Grant Williams, a second playmaker with blistering pace and an even sharper eye for a gap. Of course it is an advantage to play behind a gargantuan pack, with the inside back providing support, but the continuing evolution of the South African team from scowling heavyweights into a team who can also float like butterflies and deliver telling blows is remarkable.

Home Side's Moments

This is not to imply that France were completely dominated, despite their fading performance. Damian Penaud’s additional score in the wing area was a prime instance. The set-piece strength that occupied the visiting eight, the superb distribution from Ramos and the winger's clinical finish into the advertising hoardings all demonstrated the hallmarks of a team with considerable ability, even in the absence of Dupont.

But even that turned out to be not enough, which really is a daunting prospect for competing teams. It would be impossible, for example, that the Scottish side could have gone 17-0 down to the world champions and come galloping back in the way they did in their fixture. And for all the English team's late resurgence, there remains a journey ahead before Steve Borthwick’s squad can be confident of competing with Erasmus’s green-clad giants with high stakes.

Northern Hemisphere Challenges

Overcoming an Pacific Island team was challenging on the weekend although the forthcoming clash against the All Blacks will be the contest that properly defines their autumn. New Zealand are definitely still beatable, particularly without an influential back in their midfield, but when it comes to capitalizing on opportunities they continue to be a step ahead the majority of the European sides.

The Scottish team were especially culpable of missing the chance to secure the final nails and uncertainties still surround the red rose's optimal back division. It is all very well finishing games strongly – and much preferable than succumbing at the death – but their commendable winning sequence this year has so far shown just one success over world-class sides, a narrow win over the French in the winter.

Next Steps

Hence the significance of this upround. Reading between the lines it would appear various alterations are expected in the starting lineup, with established stars coming back to the team. Among the forwards, in the same way, familiar faces should be included from the start.

But perspective matters, in competition as in reality. From now until the 2027 World Cup the {rest