Bok record in France suggests tight affair

Cape Town - The Springboks go into Saturday's Test against France in Paris having not played in the country since 2013. 

That day, Heyneke Meyer's side emerged as 19-10 victors with JP Pietersen scoring the Boks' only try. 

READ: Du Preez family to make Bok history in Paris

READ: 15 stats and facts: Boks v France

Before that, though, the Boks lost four straight matches against France, in France, with their last victory coming in 1997 when they won 52-10 under Nick Mallett with Pieter Rossouw scoring four tries. 

The Bok record in France (and against France) since 1992 reads: Played 11, won 6, lost 5

With the record being that tight over the years, it is no wonder that France go into Saturday's clash as favourites given the current state of the Boks. 

Allister Coetzee's men have not won in five Tests, they have one just one of their last 10 away games and they have regularly set new unwanted records over the last two international seasons. 

If Coetzee is to make history for the wrong reasons on Saturday, the Boks would have to lose by 21 points or more. 

That would mean their biggest ever defeat to France, eclipsing the 30-10 loss they suffered in Marseille in 2002 under Rudolf Straeuli. 

Meanwhile, South Africa's record at home against France since 1992, reads: Played 12, won 7, lost 3, drawn 2. 

Bok record in France since 1992:

2013: France 10-19 SA

2009: France 20-13 SA

2005: France 26-20 SA

2002: France 30-10 SA

2001: France 20-10 SA

1997: France 10-52 SA

1997: France 32-36 SA

1996: France 12-13 SA

1996: France 12-22 SA

1992: France 29-16 SA

1992: France 15-20 SA

Teams:

France

15 Nans Ducuing, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 12 Mathieu Bastareaud, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Kevin Gourdon, 6 Judicael Cancoriet, 5 Paul Gabrillagues, 4 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (captain), 1 Jefferson Poirot

Substitutes: 16 Clement Maynadier, 17 Sebastien Taofifenua, 18 Daniel Kotze, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Anthony Jelonch, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Francois Trinh-Duc, 23 Damian Penaud

South Africa

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Wilco Louw 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira 

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Dan du Preez, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Damian de Allende