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Certain wins carry twofold importance in the statement they convey. Amid the barrage of weekend Test matches, it was Saturday night's result in Paris that will resonate most profoundly across the globe. Not just the end result, but the way the approach of victory. To claim that the Springboks overturned a number of widely-held assumptions would be an understatement of the calendar.

Unexpected Turnaround

Forget about the theory, for instance, that France would avenge the injustice of their World Cup elimination. Assuming that going into the final quarter with a narrow lead and an extra man would lead to assumed success. Despite missing their star man Antoine Dupont, they still had sufficient strategies to contain the big beasts safely at bay.

As it turned out, it was a case of counting their poulets before time. After being 17-13 down, the 14-man Boks concluded with scoring 19 unanswered points, reinforcing their reputation as a team who increasingly reserve their top performance for the most challenging circumstances. If defeating the All Blacks by a large margin in earlier this year was a declaration, here was definitive evidence that the leading international squad are cultivating an even thicker skin.

Set-Piece Superiority

Actually, Erasmus's title-winning pack are increasingly make all other teams look laissez-faire by contrast. The Scottish and English sides experienced their periods of promise over the recent fixtures but did not have the same earthmovers that systematically dismantled the French pack to ruins in the final thirty minutes. Some promising young France's pack members are developing but, by the end, Saturday night was hommes contre garçons.

Even more notable was the mental strength driving it all. Missing the second-rower – shown a 38th-minute straight red for a shoulder to the head of Thomas Ramos – the South Africans could potentially faltered. As it happened they just circled the wagons and proceeded to taking the deflated boys in blue to what a retired hooker referred to as “a place of suffering.”

Captaincy and Motivation

Afterwards, having been hoisted around the Parisian stadium on the gigantic shoulders of two key forwards to honor his hundredth Test, the Springbok captain, the flanker, yet again emphasized how many of his squad have been needed to overcome personal challenges and how he wished his side would in the same way continue to inspire people.

The ever-sage an analyst also made an astute observation on sports media, suggesting that Erasmus’s record increasingly make him the rugby coaching equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson. Should the Springboks manage to secure another global trophy there will be complete assurance. Even if they fail to achieve it, the intelligent way in which the mentor has refreshed a possibly veteran roster has been an object lesson to everyone.

Young Stars

Look no further than his 23-year-old fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu who darted through for the closing score that effectively shattered the home defense. And also Grant Williams, a further playmaker with lightning acceleration and an more acute ability to spot openings. Of course it helps to play behind a dominant set of forwards, with the inside back providing support, but the steady transformation of the South African team from intimidating giants into a side who can also float like butterflies and strike decisively is hugely impressive.

French Flashes

Which is not to say that the French team were totally outclassed, in spite of their weak ending. Damian Penaud’s second try in the right corner was a good illustration. The power up front that engaged the visiting eight, the excellent wide ball from Ramos and the try-scorer's execution into the advertising hoardings all displayed the characteristics of a team with significant talent, despite missing Dupont.

Yet that in the end was insufficient, which really is a sobering thought for competing teams. There is no way, for instance, that the visitors could have gone 17-0 down to South Africa and mounted a comeback in the way they did in their fixture. Notwithstanding the red rose's last-quarter improvement, there still exists a journey ahead before the national side can be confident of standing up to the world's top team with everything on the line.

Northern Hemisphere Challenges

Overcoming an Pacific Island team proved tricky enough on Saturday although the forthcoming clash against the the Kiwis will be the match that accurately reflects their autumn. The All Blacks are not invincible, particularly without their key midfielder in their backline, but when it comes to converting pressure into points they continue to be a cut above the majority of the northern hemisphere teams.

The Thistles were especially culpable of failing to hammer home the final nails and doubts still surround England’s ideal backline blend. It is fine finishing games strongly – and infinitely better than fading in the closing stages – but their commendable undefeated streak this year has so far shown just one success over elite-level teams, a close result over the French in February.

Future Prospects

Thus the importance of this next weekend. Interpreting the signals it would look like a number of adjustments are expected in the team selection, with key players returning to the lineup. In the pack, likewise, regular starters should return from the start.

However everything is relative, in sport as in reality. Between now and the upcoming world championship the {rest