France pulled off a stunning and nervy 21-19 victory over world champions South Africa in the Nations Championship on Friday.

A brilliant first-half display and gutsy second-half showing amid a flood of cards handed Les Bleus only their second win over the Springboks in their last 11 Tests.

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Captain Antoine Dupont was named man of the match in a pulsating encounter that contrasted the running invention of the French with South Africa’s bludgeoning force.

And in the end, the only difference was a missed conversion by Springboks replacement fly-half Manie Libbok.

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Libbok came on for Sacha Feinburg Mngomezulu who had a tough outing for the Boks.

France, though, were almost undone by wayward kicking, especially from half-back Maxime Lucu.

The hosts’ backs sparkled in the first half with the back three of wings Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and full-back Theo Attissogbe scoring a try each in a scintillating first half.

But South Africa’s brute force and forward power kept them in touch, scoring two maul tries.

Tries from hookers Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Malcolm Marx, and a close-range effort from replacement scrum-half Cobus Reinach, helped them storm back from a 21-7 half-time deficit, but it was not enough. Damian Willemse and Morné van den Bergh had a steep leraning curve against Les Bleus. when Cobus Reinach came onto the field the Springboks looked like they were getting on the front foot, but too little too late for the South Africans.