There are some matches that you lose, yet you have the feeling of being stronger than your opponent. And when this happens in the final stages of the World Cup, it hurts even more.

The France – South Africa match on Sunday night at Stade de France was no exception. Like the Ireland – New Zealand match the day before, the last quarter-final was a pinnacle of rugby and spectacle. It was a game full of twists and intensity which, despite the defeat, was an excellent promotion for rugby in France.

In fact, the French team was heroic and deserved to win the match.

Certainly, they struggled in the scrum, especially in the second half, losing 4 scrums out of the 9 they had in the match. But overall, they dominated and were better in open play against the reigning world champions.

As evidence, Fabien Galthié’s men made twice as many line breaks as the Springboks (13 against 6).

Antoine Dupont and his teammates also made 391 meters with the ball in hand compared to 199 by the South Africans. That’s 192 meters more, almost double.

Lastly, the statistic that best illustrates the article: 88% successful tackle rate by the French team against 79%.

Despite claims that the Springboks dominated the match and were superior, the French beat 43 defenders compared to only 12. We have seen worse from a team facing South Africa.

France truly dominated their match.

Capable of making two breakthroughs in the last five minutes of the game, the French team showed resilience and physicality against their opponent to achieve such feats. And that’s probably what was the most frustrating.