Stephen Donald has launched a scathing attack on the \u201cdumb\u201d French game-plan following their defeat to the Springboks on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Sky Sports\u2019 \u2018Aftermatch\u2019 podcast, the former All Black claimed that there were two areas in which France struggled against the world champions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought the Springboks<\/a>\u2018 conditioning was far superior than the French forwards,\u201d said the 41-year-old. <\/p>\n \u201cReinach\u2019s try was an absolute dream try, as a rugby player you dream of those tries, a line break, a chip and regather. It was special. But how did that unfold? <\/p>\n \u201cThey went from a set-piece where the [French] tight five should have been defending, but it wasn\u2019t. It wasn\u2019t lightning-quick ball or anything like that, but where they should have got to defensively, they were nowhere near. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think Reinach could believe his luck when he looked up and saw absolutely no one defending that short side. And he went straight through \u2013 chip and regather, and scored one of the tries of the year. <\/p>\n \u201cBut for me, straight away you start to think fitness-wise, and the speed of the game and the physical intent that they started with, clearly they [France] couldn\u2019t maintain it. They might have been able to maintain the physical aspect of the collision, but they couldn\u2019t get around the park to do it, and Reinach<\/a> took full advantage. So all of a sudden they\u2019re back in the game. Red card happens.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude32\ud83d\ude32<\/p>\n Cobus Reinach really did just do it all himself \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n Comeback coming for the Springboks? pic.twitter.com\/odgY3BmaXs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) November 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Wales dealt crushing blow as Steve Tandy loses star player and captain<\/a><\/p>\n Donald left dumfounded<\/p>\n The Springboks are well known for their physicality and their conditioning levels, so most sides would attempt to avoid going toe for toe in this area. But on Saturday, it appeared that someone had scouted the wrong team, with Donald noting the bizarre attacking strategy employed by the typically dynamic French.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m also dumbfounded with the style of the French, for all their exciting backs, the Penauds of the world, Ramos, Fickou and the likes, these unbelievable backs were left unused.<\/p>\n \u201cThey just didn\u2019t use their brilliance, and all they tried to do was just go bashing through the middle with slow running ball. If you\u2019re going to try and bash through South Africans<\/a>, you\u2019re not going to get too far.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when they [South Africa] were down to 14 men, they weren\u2019t shifting them at all, and they were just playing off Le Garrec. I didn\u2019t really see Ntamack pulling the boys out and taking control. There were pictures of the French team when they\u2019re on attack, and I reckon you could see 13 of them all within about 10 metres of the ruck. <\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s putting no stress on a depleted South African defensive line. They [South Africa] know that they can just squeeze up and whatever comes at them, they can bash, and then they can compete at rucks and can even with turnovers, or they can slow the ball down.\u201d<\/p>\n Reflecting on what the typical French game-plan is, Donald added: \u201cI think the French just played so dumb. I wonder how much their game is, \u2018just throw it over to the main man, Dupont\u2019. \u00a0I don\u2019t know if Penaud was spotted after the first 20 minutes, and Bielle-Biarrey, on the other wing, was so underused.\u201d<\/p>\n France will face Fiji on Saturday, in a Test that is sure to be a treat for the neutrals.<\/p>\n