Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has warned his team against drawing too much confidence from their recent successes against France, insisting Friday night's Nations Championship clash in Paris is a whole new ball game.

The Boks have enjoyed major success against Les Bleus in recent years, including their dramatic 2023 World Cup quarter-final victory and last year's remarkable win in Paris, when the Boks played with 14 men for most of the match.

But Kolisi isn't interested in past glories, especially with five players in the squad about to experience the intensity of playing France for the first time, and at the Stade de France.

“Every game we take as it comes. What happened last year is gone,” Kolisi said at a press conference in Paris on Thursday.

“We've changed as a group, and we've changed a little bit of how we play, so we don't get stuck in things that have happened before.

“We also don't forget how France must feel. We've been there and played against teams that have beaten us in the past. You learn to move forward to the next game. This is a new game and a new opportunity.”

The message is particularly relevant for five Springboks who have never played against France. Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg and wing Ethan Hooker will both start on Friday night, while loose forwards Cameran Hanekom and Paul de Villiers, and hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels, are set for important Bomb Squad roles.

Kolisi says the newcomers should embrace the occasion rather than fear it.

“The coaches spoke about it today. The atmosphere is all you can actually talk to them about. The set-up here in Paris is beautiful. It's like a theatre,” he said.

“I remember playing here last year. The crowd gets really passionate. The French people love their rugby, just like South Africans do. They get behind their team.

“The way the French do the game-day experience is honestly one of the best I've ever seen. It's something to feel and enjoy before kick-off, but once the whistle goes, it's game time. When you step on the field, it's just you and the guys opposite you. That's all that matters.”

The atmosphere is one thing, but Kolisi knows the physical challenge awaiting the Boks will be just as formidable.

“It's something we know the French pride themselves on, in the set-piece and also attacking the advantage line. That's something we also pride ourselves on,” he said.

Kolisi is confident the newcomers understand what is expected of them.

“The guys who haven't played France don't have to be overly prepared. They know exactly what's required — our Springbok standards. That's what we ask for, what we are all willing to do. I think they'll be fine.”