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Certain wins deliver dual importance in the statement they communicate. Amid the barrage of weekend rugby Tests, it was Saturday night's result in the French capital that will linger most profoundly across both hemispheres. Not merely the conclusion, but also the style of victory. To claim that the Springboks overturned various widely-held beliefs would be an oversimplification of the season.

Shifting Momentum

Forget about the notion, for example, that France would rectify the injustice of their World Cup last-eight loss. That entering the last period with a slight advantage and an extra man would result in certain victory. That even without their talisman their captain, they still had more than enough resources to contain the big beasts at a distance.

As it turned out, it was a case of assuming victory prematurely. After being 17-13 down, the South African side with a player sent off concluded with scoring 19 unanswered points, reinforcing their status as a squad who increasingly save their best for the toughest situations. Whereas beating New Zealand 43-10 in the last quarter was a statement, here was clear demonstration that the world’s No 1 side are developing an even thicker skin.

Set-Piece Superiority

Actually, Rassie Erasmus’s champion Bok forwards are beginning to make opposing sides look less committed by comparison. The Scottish and English sides each enjoyed their moments over the two-day period but possessed nothing like the same earthmovers that thoroughly overwhelmed the home side to rubble in the final thirty minutes. A number of talented young French forwards are coming through but, by the end, the match was a mismatch in experience.

What was perhaps even more striking was the inner fortitude driving it all. Without their lock forward – given a dismissal before halftime for a dangerous contact of the opposition kicker – the South Africans could easily have faltered. As it happened they just united and proceeded to taking the disheartened home team to what an ex-France player referred to as “the hurt locker.”

Leadership and Inspiration

Following the match, having been borne aloft around the venue on the powerful backs of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman to mark his 100th cap, the Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, repeatedly stressed how a significant number of his squad have been obliged to overcome life difficulties and how he aspired his side would likewise continue to encourage fans.

The ever-sage a commentator also made an shrewd comment on broadcast, proposing that his results increasingly make him the parallel figure of the Manchester United great. If South Africa do go on to win a third successive World Cup there will be absolute certainty. Should they come up short, the smart way in which the coach has refreshed a possibly veteran roster has been an masterclass to other teams.

Emerging Talent

Consider his young playmaker the newcomer who sprinted past for the closing score that properly blew open the home defense. Additionally another half-back, another backline player with explosive speed and an even sharper ability to spot openings. Naturally it is an advantage to play behind a dominant set of forwards, with André Esterhuizen providing support, but the steady transformation of the South African team from physically imposing units into a team who can also display finesse and sting like bees is extraordinary.

French Flashes

This is not to imply that the home side were totally outclassed, despite their limp finish. Their winger's later touchdown in the far side was a good illustration. The power up front that tied in the South African pack, the excellent wide ball from the playmaker and the try-scorer's execution into the advertising hoardings all demonstrated the hallmarks of a side with significant talent, even in the absence of Dupont.

However, that ultimately proved insufficient, which really is a humbling reality for competing teams. It would be impossible, for instance, that the visitors could have fallen behind by 17 points to the world champions and come galloping back in the way they did versus New Zealand. Notwithstanding the English team's strong finish, there still exists a distance to travel before the national side can be certain of competing with the South African powerhouses with everything on the line.

European Prospects

Beating an improving Fiji was challenging on Saturday although the next encounter against the All Blacks will be the fixture that truly shapes their autumn. New Zealand are definitely still beatable, notably absent their key midfielder in their center, but when it comes to converting pressure into points they are still a cut above most the home unions.

The Scottish team were particularly guilty of missing the chance to secure the killing points and doubts still surround the English side's ideal backline blend. It is all very well finishing games strongly – and infinitely better than succumbing at the death – but their notable winning sequence this year has so far included just a single victory over top-drawer opposition, a narrow win over Les Bleus in earlier in the year.

Next Steps

Thus the importance of this upround. Reading between the lines it would seem various alterations are anticipated in the team selection, with experienced individuals being reinstated to the lineup. Up front, in the same way, first-choice players should return from the beginning.

Yet perspective matters, in rugby as in reality. In the lead-up to the next global tournament the {rest