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South Africa displayed the world champions' fortitude, storming back from a 14-6 deficit and the first-half sending-off of second-row Lood de Jager to crush the French team 32-17 in a bruising end-of-year Test on the weekend.

Down a man for the entire second half, the South African side withstood initial onslaught before overwhelming the French through raw power and calmness, quieting a raucous Stade de France expecting payback for their World Cup heartbreak.

Two years after their agonising 29-28 World Cup quarter-final loss to the South Africans on home soil, France looked determined to make amends even without their injured captain Antoine Dupont. But France, now on a four-game winless run, buckled under the strain as their composure disintegrated despite the Springboks being losing a player on the eve of half-time.

France's Early Dominance

The French coach's side looked irresistible in the opening stages as wing Damian Penaud scored twice to become his nation's all-time leading try-scorer with forty, surpassing Serge Blanco's longstanding record.

A series of reckless infringements and a costly sin-binning, however, handed the initiative to the Springboks who capitalized on every error in clinical fashion.

The Springboks fought back with scores from Cobus Reinach, André Esterhuizen, Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who also slotted two penalty goals and three conversions.

Turning Point

It had all begun promisingly for the hosts. The No. 15 Thomas Ramos kicked a perfectly weighted chip over the defensive line after the opening minutes which Penaud collected to score. The winger added another soon after, diving into the corner to extend the advantage, and when De Jager was sent off for a high hit on Ramos, France seemed in full control despite being only a single point ahead.

Then came the Springboks' spectacular revival through a mixture of clinical attacking and unbreakable focus.

The France outside back Louis Bielle-Biarrey was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, and the world champions seized the opportunity.

Esterhuizen barged through from a maul after the visitors had opted to go for the set piece after being awarded a penalty, before Williams sprinted past a splintered defensive line for a further score as the momentum swung quickly.

Sealing the Win

With the French rattled and conceding a stream of infringements, Feinberg-Mngomezulu sealed a remarkable comeback, evading the defence on the wing and diving over the line before adding the extras to his own score.

South Africa have now beaten Les Bleus in nine of their past 10 encounters. The French team next meet the Flying Fijians in the French city on Saturday while South Africa travel to Italy.