South African diplomats were working to rescue 17 South African men from Ukraine's Donbas region where they were engaged in "suspected mercenary activities."

South Africa showed all their world champions resilience, storming back from 14-6 down and the first-half sending-off of lock Lood de Jager to crush France 32-17 in a bruising Autumn international on Saturday.

South Africa’s government said on Thursday it will investigate how 17 of its citizens joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict after the men sent distress calls for help to return home.

What is it about this fixture and controversy? Two years since these sides last met in one of the most scintillating World Cup matches of all time, from which South Africa emerged victorious on their journey to global domination,

France have named a new halfback pairing with Nolann Le Garrec starting alongside Romain Ntamack for Saturday’s test against South Africa at the Stade de France, with captain Antoine Dupont still unavailable after a knee ligament injury.

Cook Islands book their spot in a fourth Rugby League World Cup, turning it on to beat South Africa 58-6 in Sydney.

World champion South Africa overcame a red card and a halftime deficit to beat France 32-17 and hand Les Tricolores yet another stinging defeat. The sides met for the first time since South Africa knocked host France out of the 2023 World Cup 29-28 despite France being in control in the first half.

France and South Africa meet at the Stade de France for a headline clash in the 2025 Autumn Nations Series. It’s their first meeting since the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, when the Springboks edged a 29-28 thriller on their way to another world title.