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Some victories send dual significance in the statement they communicate. Within the flurry of weekend rugby Tests, it was Saturday night's score in Paris that will linger longest across the globe. Not merely the end result, but the way the style of victory. To say that South Africa shattered various comfortable assumptions would be an oversimplification of the calendar.

Shifting Momentum

Discard the notion, for instance, that the French team would make amends for the unfairness of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. That entering the closing stages with a narrow lead and an additional player would translate into inevitable glory. Even in the absence of their star man Antoine Dupont, they still had sufficient strategies to contain the powerful opponents safely at bay.

On the contrary, it was a case of counting their poulets prematurely. After being trailing by four points, the reduced Springboks concluded with scoring 19 unanswered points, reinforcing their standing as a squad who consistently reserve their top performance for the toughest scenarios. If defeating the All Blacks by a large margin in September was a message, here was clear demonstration that the world’s No 1 side are building an greater resilience.

Pack Power

If anything, the coach's champion Bok forwards are increasingly make everyone else look less committed by juxtaposition. The Scottish and English sides each enjoyed their promising spells over the weekend but possessed nothing like the same dominant forwards that effectively reduced France to ruins in the last half-hour. Some promising young French forwards are coming through but, by the final whistle, Saturday night was hommes contre garçons.

Perhaps most impressive was the psychological resilience underpinning it all. Missing the second-rower – shown a red card in the first half for a shoulder to the head of the French full-back – the Boks could potentially become disorganized. On the contrary they merely regrouped and set about dragging the demoralized home team to what a retired hooker described as “a place of suffering.”

Captaincy and Motivation

Following the match, having been borne aloft around the Parisian stadium on the powerful backs of the lock pairing to mark his 100th cap, the South African skipper, the flanker, repeatedly emphasized how many of his squad have been needed to overcome life difficulties and how he aspired his squad would likewise continue to encourage fans.

The ever-sage David Flatman also made an shrewd comment on broadcast, stating that Erasmus’s record progressively make him the rugby coaching equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson. Should the Springboks do go on to claim a third straight world title there will be no doubt whatsoever. Even if they come up short, the intelligent way in which the mentor has revitalized a experienced team has been an masterclass to other teams.

New Generation

Take for example his young playmaker the newcomer who sprinted past for the late try that decisively broke the French windows. Additionally the scrum-half, a second half-back with blistering pace and an more acute vision for space. Naturally it helps to play behind a massive forward unit, with André Esterhuizen providing support, but the continuing evolution of the South African team from intimidating giants into a squad who can also move with agility and deliver telling blows is hugely impressive.

French Flashes

This is not to imply that France were utterly overwhelmed, in spite of their limp finish. Damian Penaud’s second try in the far side was a good illustration. The power up front that engaged the South African pack, the superb distribution from the full-back and the try-scorer's execution into the sideline boards all demonstrated the hallmarks of a team with considerable ability, without their star man.

Yet that in the end was insufficient, which really is a humbling reality for competing teams. There is no way, for instance, that the visitors could have gone 17-0 down to South Africa and come galloping back in the way they did versus New Zealand. And for all the English team's last-quarter improvement, there is a distance to travel before the England team can be confident of standing up to Erasmus’s green-clad giants with all at stake.

Northern Hemisphere Challenges

Beating an Pacific Island team posed difficulties on match day although the forthcoming clash against the the Kiwis will be the contest that truly shapes their November Tests. The visitors are certainly vulnerable, particularly without an influential back in their midfield, but when it comes to converting pressure into points they continue to be a step ahead the majority of the northern hemisphere teams.

The Scottish team were especially culpable of not finishing off the final nails and doubts still hang over the English side's optimal back division. It is fine performing in the final quarter – and far superior than losing them late on – but their notable nine-match unbeaten run this year has so far included just a single victory over elite-level teams, a one-point home victory over Les Bleus in February.

Future Prospects

Hence the significance of this next weekend. Interpreting the signals it would appear several changes are expected in the team selection, with established stars returning to the team. Up front, in the same way, familiar faces should return from the beginning.

However everything is relative, in competition as in reality. In the lead-up to the upcoming world championship the {rest