Fabien Galthié and his coaching assistants gathered in Perpignan for a strategic seminar aimed at preparing for the second half of the Rugby Championship. The tournament will begin on November 7 with a match against Fiji. The coaches will focus on developing their game plan on Wednesday and will meet with representatives from the French Rugby Federation, known as the Usap, on Thursday to discuss tactics and strategies. The French national team currently leads Pool A after securing two bonus-point victories in July. They defeated Australia 26-42 and Japan 15-42, both results earning them additional points in the standings. Their only loss in the pool, a 34-32 defeat against New Zealand, also earned them a double bonus point for both defensive and offensive efforts. France's record against South Africa has been challenging in recent years. They have only one victory in the last three years, with a narrow 28-29 win over South Africa in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final at the Stade de France. In November 2025, South Africa won 17-32 at the same venue. Under Galthié's leadership, the only victory against South Africa was a 30-26 win in November 2022. Galthié has described South Africa as the best team in the world, possibly the best in history. He believes they are superior to the 2015 New Zealand team, a view supported by his experiences on the field. Facing South Africa is a grueling challenge, as they dominate both in the air and on the ground, and the intensity of the match lasts the entire game. The South Africans are particularly strong in the scrum, lineout, and physical contests. According to Rugbyrama, the French coaching staff plans to field their starting team against Fiji to build momentum for the more significant challenge against South Africa. This match will serve as the final major test before the 2027 World Cup. It remains to be seen if the French team can defeat South Africa at home, a team that intimidates opponents. Before considering the management of playing time during the third test against Argentina, the focus will be on facing the Springboks.