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Some victories deliver dual significance in the lesson they broadcast. Amid the flood of weekend Test matches, it was Saturday night's outcome in Paris that will resonate most enduringly across both hemispheres. Not only the final score, but also the style of success. To claim that South Africa overturned various established assumptions would be an understatement of the calendar.

Unexpected Turnaround

Forget about the idea, for example, that the French team would avenge the injustice of their World Cup quarter-final defeat. That entering the closing stages with a small margin and an numerical superiority would result in inevitable glory. Despite missing their talisman their captain, they still had more than enough resources to keep the strong rivals safely at bay.

On the contrary, it was a case of counting their poulets before time. Initially trailing by four points, the reduced Springboks concluded with registering 19 consecutive points, strengthening their standing as a squad who more and more save their best for the most challenging scenarios. Whereas defeating the All Blacks by a large margin in September was a declaration, now came conclusive proof that the leading international squad are building an even thicker skin.

Forward Dominance

Actually, Rassie Erasmus’s champion Bok forwards are increasingly make opposing sides look less intense by juxtaposition. Both northern hemisphere teams experienced their promising spells over the weekend but lacked entirely the same dominant forwards that systematically dismantled the French pack to rubble in the final thirty minutes. A number of talented young France's pack members are developing but, by the final whistle, the encounter was men against boys.

Even more notable was the mental strength underpinning it all. In the absence of their lock forward – shown a dismissal before halftime for a shoulder to the head of the French full-back – the South Africans could potentially become disorganized. On the contrary they just circled the wagons and began taking the deflated home team to what a retired hooker described as “a place of suffering.”

Leadership and Inspiration

Post-game, having been carried around the Parisian stadium on the gigantic shoulders of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman to mark his century of appearances, the Springbok captain, the inspirational figure, once again stressed how many of his team have been required to overcome personal challenges and how he wished his squad would in the same way continue to motivate people.

The ever-sage a commentator also made an perceptive observation on television, proposing that the coach's achievements increasingly make him the parallel figure of Sir Alex Ferguson. In the event that the world champions do go on to secure another global trophy there will be absolute certainty. In case they fall short, the smart way in which Erasmus has revitalized a possibly veteran roster has been an exemplary model to other teams.

New Generation

Look no further than his young playmaker Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu who darted through for the closing score that effectively shattered the opposition line. Or Grant Williams, a further playmaker with blistering pace and an even sharper eye for a gap. Of course it is an advantage to play behind a dominant set of forwards, with André Esterhuizen adding physicality, but the steady transformation of the Boks from intimidating giants into a team who can also move with agility and deliver telling blows is extraordinary.

French Flashes

However, it should not be thought that the French team were totally outclassed, despite their weak ending. Damian Penaud’s additional score in the far side was a prime instance. The set-piece strength that occupied the South African pack, the excellent wide ball from the full-back and Penaud’s finishing dive into the perimeter signage all demonstrated the traits of a team with significant talent, even in the absence of Dupont.

But even that ultimately proved inadequate, which truly represents a daunting prospect for competing teams. It would be impossible, for instance, that the visitors could have fallen behind by 17 points to the world champions and fought back in the way they did in their fixture. And for all the English team's strong finish, there remains a distance to travel before the national side can be assured of competing with the world's top team with everything on the line.

European Prospects

Overcoming an developing Fijian side was challenging on the weekend although the next encounter against the the Kiwis will be the contest that accurately reflects their autumn. The All Blacks are definitely still beatable, notably absent an influential back in their backline, but when it comes to converting pressure into points they remain a cut above the majority of the European sides.

The Scottish team were especially culpable of missing the chance to secure the decisive blows and uncertainties still surround England’s optimal back division. It is fine performing in the final quarter – and much preferable than succumbing at the death – but their admirable winning sequence this year has so far featured only one win over elite-level teams, a one-point home victory over the French in February.

Next Steps

Thus the significance of this next weekend. Analyzing the situation it would look like a number of adjustments are likely in the starting lineup, with established stars coming back to the lineup. In the pack, similarly, first-choice players should all be back from the beginning.

But everything is relative, in competition as in existence. Between now and the next global tournament the {rest