Sprinboks earn comfortable win over France

South Africa 27 France 13

South Africa turned on the pace in the first half to run out comfortable winners today and clinch victory in their first home series against France since 1976.

The hosts came into the game without veteran prop Os du Randt, who pulled a hamstring overnight and was replaced by CJ van der Linde.

However, the late setback appeared to make little difference against a French team that earned a draw in the first Test but looked weary at the end of a long, hard season.

The Springboks led 20-6 at the break and with the visiting backline struggling to put any moves together, South Africa coach Jake White's unbeaten home record never looked under threat.

The away team's halfback pairing of Dimitri Yachvili and Frederic Michalak were often stifled, and when they did get the ball away, the midfield were pulverised by some hard tackling by De Wet Barry.

After man-of-the-match Percy Montgomery put South Africa in front early on with a penalty, the French were immediately on the back foot and it was no surprise when the hosts ran in the first try.

Barry put in a big tackle on Michalak and the ball popped backwards, forcing the turnover.

The ball was spread to the blindside where Montgomery sprinted through down the flank before offloading inside to Bryan Habana, who scored under the posts.

France captain Yachvili replied with a penalty to get his side on the scoreboard, but it was not long before the Boks used another turnover to stretch their lead.

The visitors attacked down the blindside and had an overlap, but fullback Nicholas Brusque's attempted pass to winger Cedric Heymans was intercepted by Bok winger Jean de Villiers, who collected the ball to run through and score under the posts.

Both sides converted a penalty apiece before the break, but the hosts were happier at the interval, as they went in with a comfortable cushion.

In the second half, Habana crossed the tryline again - this time from another interception as he crept into the French backline and latched onto Yachvili's attempted overhead lob pass.

Upon getting the ball, Habana used his superb pace to run more than 65 metres across the field to score.

Montgomery's conversion sent the Boks into a 27-6 lead, and all-but settled the outcome of the game.

Trying everything they could at that stage, the French surged forward and were finally rewarded 10 minutes from time when they mauled their way over from close range, and television referee George Ayoub ruled that Michalak had been able to plant the ball down.

However, the try was a mere consolation for France, as South Africa had far too much firepower to claim a convincing victory.