Width of a post denies France famous victory

South Africa - 30 France - 30: Dimitri Yachvili came within the width of an upright of earning France victory in the drawn first Test against South Africa in Durban on Saturday.

The match finished 30-30 with France scoring four tries to South Africa's three.

Debutant right wing Julien Candelon touched down with six minutes left to level the scores, but replacement scrumhalf Yachvili hit the left-hand upright with the conversion that would have given France victory.

France, whose players are nearing the end of a long domestic campaign that started in September, refused to give up against the fresher South Africans, who began their season last week. The visitors will be the happier of the teams going into the second and last Test in Port Elizabeth next Saturday.

Flank Yannick Nyanga drew first blood for France in the seventh minute with a try under the crossbar after the visitors intercepted a midfield pass by South African outhalf Jaco van der Westhuyzen.

Fullback Percy Montgomery pulled back three points for the Springboks with a penalty, and the home side took a 10-7 lead in the 14th minute when left wing Bryan Habana scored in the left hand corner.

Right wing Jean de Villiers leapt high to secure scrumhalf Fourie du Preez's hoist down the right-hand touchline before the ball sped left to Habana.

Outhalf Frederic Michalak levelled the scores in the 21st minute with a drop goal from 49 metres, and with five minutes left in the first half Montgomery nudged South Africa ahead with a penalty.

Two minutes later scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde made it 13-13 with a penalty, and the French ended the half on the attack.

Habana scored his second try five minutes into the second half when he took a pass from lock Albert van den Berg, who fielded another Du Preez hoist.

France levelled matters in the 49th minute with a pushover try by lock Pascal Pape, and they went 25-20 ahead two minutes later when number eight Julien Bonnaire touched down after catching Elissalde's crosskick.

De Villiers muscled over in the left corner for a try after another canny tactical kick by Du Preez, and Montgomery converted from the touchline to put South Africa ahead 27-25.

Montgomery extended South Africa's lead to five points with 16 minutes remaining when he kicked a drop goal from 40 metres.

The next 10 minutes were hotly contested, and with six minutes remaining the French swept upfield in a movement that ended with Candelon's try.

SOUTH AFRICA: P Montgomery; J de Villiers, M Joubert, DW Barry, B Habana; J van der Westhuyzen, F du Preez; J Cronje, D Rossouw, S Burger, V Matfield, A van den Berg, E Andrews (CJ van der Linde, 54 mins), J Smit (capt), O du Randt.

FRANCE: J Laharragu; J Candelon, F Fritz (D Traille, 65 mins), Y Jauzion, C Heymans (N Brusque, 80 mins); F Michalak, J-B Elissalde (capt, D Yachvili, 70 mins); J Bonnaire, O Magne, Y Nyanga (R Martin, 36-40 mins, 78 mins), R Millo-Chluski (G Lamboley, 54 mins), P Pape, S Marconnet, S Bruno (W Servat, 60 mins), O Milloud (P de Villiers, 60 mins).