South Africa's Springboks secured a 32-17 victory over France in Paris, thanks in part to André Esterhuizen's dual role as centre and flank. The plan, devised by coach Rassie Erasmus, proved crucial after lock Lood de Jager's red card. Esterhuizen's versatility helped the team dominate the second half despite playing with 14 men.
The Springboks' 32-17 triumph over France at the Stade de France on 8 November 2025 highlighted coach Rassie Erasmus' innovative approach to team selection. Earlier this year, Erasmus outlined a plan to transform 1.93-metre, 115kg centre André Esterhuizen into a hybrid player capable of operating at both centre and flank. This tactical flexibility was not a mere stopgap but a deliberate strategy to enhance balance, particularly in scenarios involving player reductions.
The match turned pivotal in the 39th minute when referee Angus Gardner issued a red card to lock Lood de Jager. With the score level at halftime, Erasmus substituted captain Siya Kolisi—marking his 100th Test cap—for Esterhuizen, who shifted to the flank. 'I want to say thank you to our captain, who was taken off because André can play loose forward and centre, which was a tough call. But when I told him, he just took it on the chin and understood,' Erasmus said post-match.
Kolisi accepted the decision gracefully: 'When the coach came to ask me, he was really sad. You have to put emotions aside in this. Because I knew putting a No 5 lock on, because we lost Lood, he makes all the calls. Him and the 10 and the 9 are probably the most important people.'
Esterhuizen excelled in the second half, playing flank during attacks and centre on defense, especially off set pieces. He scored a try from a rolling maul, contributing to the Springboks outscoring France 19-3 after the break. 'In the changing room, obviously at half-time, we made some plans around the lineouts and what we want to do and what we want to achieve. We stuck to those plans and luckily I could come up and cover 6 and 12, which made the lineouts easier,' Esterhuizen reflected.
Erasmus' innovations, from 6-2 benches to tactical substitutions, have defined the Springboks' success. Discussions with Esterhuizen began five months prior, with attack coach Felix Jones managing his training load across forwards and backs. This preparation contrasted with past experiments, like Harry Viljoen's no-kick policy against Argentina in 2000, which faltered due to inadequate readiness. Esterhuizen's seamless integration underscored the value of thorough planning in rugby's evolving landscape.