Saffas Abroad: Bok flyhalves on fire

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Handre Pollard and Robert du Preez both continued their excellent form in the Premiership, while over in Japan, Willie le Roux capped a solid performance at flyhalf with a try.

Premiership
– Handre Pollard‘s haul of 14 points helped Leicester Tigers build up a buffer to see off a late comeback from Saracens and beat the league leaders 24-18. Pollard scored a try, following a powerful run from Jasper Wiese, and knocked over three conversions and a penalty. Leicester captain Hanro Liebenberg made 11 tackles and won two turnovers. Springbok scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl played off the bench for Saracens.

– Northampton Saints needed a 76th-minute try to snatch a thrilling 38-34 win over 14-man Sale Sharks. Robert du Preez kept Sale in the contest with 14 points, including a try, after his side lost Manu Tuilagi to a red card early in the contest and had to play with 13 men for a period in the second half when lock Cobus Wiese was yellow-carded. Du Preez beat four defenders and assisted one of Sale’s five tries. Loose forwards Jean-Luc du Preez and Jono Ross also started for Sale, while tighthead prop Coenie Oosthuizen was on the bench. No 8 Juarno Augustus had a solid outing for Northampton, making 40 metres from 16 carries and beating three defenders.

– Benhard Janse van Rensburg’s clean break sealed a hard-fought 25-10 victory for London Irish over Bath at the Rec. Flank Chris Cloete and scrumhalf Louis Schreuder were substitutes for Bath.

– Gloucester reclaimed a place in the top four after sneaking home against Harlequins 28-26 in a thriller at Kingsholm. Flank Ruan Ackermann starred for Gloucester with 15 completed tackles and a lineout steal. Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen made 52 metres from eight carries and completed eight tackles. Esterhuizen was joined by tighthead prop Wilco Louw and lock Irne Herbst.

Top 14
– Bayonne took another big step towards playoff qualification by stunning second-placed Stade Francais in a 29-26 victory. Springbok No 8 Uzair Cassiem started for Bayonne, while former Sharks centre Jeremy Ward played for Stade.

– Fullback Tristan Tedder scored a massive haul of 26 points, including a brace of tries, as Perpignan enhanced their hopes of survival with a 49-29 win against struggling Pau. The win saw Perpignan cut the gap on 12th-placed Pau to just two points.

– Springbok tighthead prop Trevor Nyakane returned to action as a substitute for Racing 92 in a 34-24 win over Brive. Fellow tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe started for Brive alongside centre Nico Lee.

– Lyon dealt Bok-powered Montpellier’s playoff chances a major blow in a 31-21 victory. Arno Botha was at No 8 for Lyon, who climbed to third with their fourth win in a row. Springboks Cobus Reinach, Jan Serfontein and Nico Janse van Rensburg all started for Montpellier, who have dropped down to ninth place with four losses in their last five games.

– Raymond Rhule and Dillyn Leyds were on the wings as La Rochelle overpowered Castres to earn a 32-17 away win and bounce back from successive defeats. Flank Kyle Hatherell was on the bench for La Rochelle.

– Toulon shrugged off a first-half red card to captain Sergio Parisse to beat Toulouse 17-6 as replacement Bok flank Rynhardt Elstadt was also sent off late in the match. Cheslin Kolbe played on the right win for Toulon, who are now just two points outside the playoff places.

– Madosh Tambwe and lock Jandre Marais started for Bordeaux in a tough 18-9 win against Clermont.

Japan League One
– Faf de Klerk provided a sensational try assist, while teammate Jesse Kriel dotted down for Canon Eagles in a 59-48 thriller against Toshiba Brave Lupus. Burger Odendaal started at No 12 for Brave Lupus and also got on the scoresheet as his side fought back from a 52-15 deficit in the second half. The win was the Eagles’ fourth from the last five matches, and consolidated their hold on fourth position, moving them five points clear of Brave Lupus who stay fifth

– Despite making 10 changes to the starting lineup and utilising Damian de Allende as a substitute, defending champions Wild Knights powered to a six-try-to-none win over the battling Hanazono Kintetsu Liners. Lood de Jager started for Wild Knights, who maintained their place at the top of the table.

– Willie le Roux started at flyhalf and scored a try to help Toyota Verblitz, captained by Pieter-Steph du Toit, beat Green Rockets 21-18. Le Roux played a role in all three of Verblitz’s tries as he sparked the attack in an excellent performance.

– Malcolm Marx scored his sixth try of the season, while former Stormers centre Rikus Pretorius set up a score as Kubota Spears blew away Mitsubishi Dynaboars in a 60-22 win.

Major League Rugby

– Jordan Chait scored 18 points in a man-of-the-match performance for the Seattle Seawolves, who opened their campaign with a 25-11 win against New York Ironworkers. Chait was joined in Seattle’s starting lineup by former Junior Springbok scrumhalf JP Smith, captain Ricky Hattingh, lock Rhyno Herbst and former Sharks prop Mzamo Majola.

– Former Vodacom Bulls flyhalf David Coetzer scored 13 points to guide Houston Sabercats to a 33-12 away win against Dallas Jackals. Loose forward Hanco Germishuys, scrumhalf Carlo de Nysschen and centre Louritz van der Schyff scored a try each for Houston.

Photo: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images

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