South Africa back-rower Jasper Wiese said he is wary of a "hurt" France eyeing revenge in this Saturday's Autumn Nations Series game in Paris.
The last time the sides met, the Springboks knocked out hosts Les Bleus in the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on the way to their fourth crown.
Watch every second of the 2025 Autumn Nations Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
"I think it was genuine hurt after the World Cup, so I think we can expect them to be very emotional and very up for this game," Wiese told reporters.
"If there's one game that we're going to have to be up for, it's going to be this game."
Wiese, 30, was an unused member of the squad for the 29-28 victory two years ago, a tense affair at a sold-out Stade de France decided by the accurate boot of Handre Pollard in the final quarter of an hour.
"I wasn't fortunate enough to play, but I was in the stands and the thing I can remember was the crowd was very loud and they started well," Wiese said.
"There were massive moments in that game that shifted the game for us, but at the end we got through it and I think that was a very, very big one for us."
In the opposition camp, France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec said on Wednesday said he was grateful for the presence of injured superstar Antoine Dupont in training before this weekend's game.
Dupont is still recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in March but has been present with Les Bleus' squad in the build-up to Saturday's Autumn Nations Series encounter in Paris.
The 28-year-old Olympic champion is set to return playing next month with his club Toulouse, after France play the Springboks, Fiji and Australia.
Le Garrec, 23, is expected to start instead of Dupont at half-back with Maxime Lucu on the bench in a re-run of the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final, won by the Springboks on the way to their fourth title.
"If it's Antoine or even Max Lucu, we discuss a lot off the field in general," Le Garrec told reporters.
"It's always good advice from Antoine and Max. With all of their qualities, they help me a lot."
La Rochelle's Le Garrec is set to be joined at half-back by Dupont's club team-mate Romain Ntamack, as they start an international together for the first time.
Brittany-born Le Garrec made his Test debut in 2024, having trained with the squad more than a year earlier alongside the experienced Ntamack.
"It's great to play alongside Romain," Le Garrec said.
"We have the same vision of the game. We try experience things fully to help the team play as well as possible."
Dupont's absence also leaves a gap in the captaincy role, with Racing 92 centre Gael Fickou in line to skipper the side.
Fickou, 31, will lead the Six Nations champions on his 97th international appearance, as he did during July's tour of New Zealand.
"He has incredible experience," Le Garrec said of his former Racing team-mate.
"He's experienced it all with France, the highs and the lows. He's very consistent and stable. It's great that he gets the chance to captain the team."
The meeting at the Stade de France offers Fabien Galthie's side a revenge for the loss two years ago, which denied them a shot at glory on home soil.
Le Garrec was not selected for the World Cup, while Ntamack missed the tournament with a knee injury.
"We weren't involved in the quarter-final, but I think it was traumatic for more than the matchday 23," Ntamack told reporters.
"I think since then we've moved on. We're focused on this match in 2025, and we hope to start our November campaign well."
