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France have just won the Six Nations and in some circles there's a belief they're ready to knock the Springboks off the top of the rankings.
France are 2025 Six Nations champions. Picture: Xavier Laine/Getty Images
The Springboks’ first match of the 2025 season is still well over three months away, while their November tour of Europe is eight months away, but already there is plenty of excitement about the current double world champions taking on France in Paris towards the end of the year.
Having read a few reports out of Europe in the last few days, one would think there was something actually riding on the result. It will, of course, just be a one-off game, part of the teams’ November Test schedule, with only some bragging rights at stake and a few rankings points.
But one thing is for sure, most of the rugby-watching world will have their eyes glued to the action in Paris.
France will be out to make up for the one-point loss they suffered to the Boks at home in their World Cup in 2023, thanks in part to Cheslin Kolbe’s now famous charge down of Thomas Ramos’ conversion kick.
Also, with the French having won the Six Nations this season, on Saturday, and ending Ireland’s recent domination of the competition, there is now also a belief they can end the Boks’ hold on world rugby.
What is clear from the recently completed Six Nations is that France are a team to be taken very seriously, but we already knew that, because they’ve been really good and competitive for a while, while England are still a team who, on their day, can beat anyone.
Ireland are right up there but their big test again will come at the World Cup in Australia in 2027. The question is have they really got the depth and game to be serious title challengers?
Scotland, for all their promise and occasional thrilling moments, still only won two out of five matches.
Wales showed some signs there may be better days ahead, but they need a huge lift in several areas if they’re to return to the glory days any time soon, while Italy, who’ve been part of the competition since 2000, are still well below the standard of the other teams, and one’s got to wonder if they will actually ever be Six Nations title contenders?
It’s a long build-up, but already the Boks’ November Test against France is getting a lot of people very excited, and why not, it’s sure to be one of the year’s biggest matches.
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