Several Springboks returned to action in the Premiership and French Top 14 after celebrating the World Cup win.
Premiership
– Springbok prop Thomas du Toit continued his remarkable start to the season by scoring his fourth try in five games as Bath cruised to a 45-27 win over Gloucester. Du Toit played off the bench alongside loosehead prop Juan Schoeman and loose forward Jaco Coetzee.
Thomas du Toit scoring his fourth try and 4 games for @BathRugby
Epic season he’s having.#SaffasAbroad https://t.co/tbj38sN2YU pic.twitter.com/ZFjM415W2I
— Darren (@SaffasRugby) November 10, 2023
– Flyhalf Robert du Preez scored an intercept try for Sale Sharks in a 27-13 away win against Bristol Bears. Du Preez started at outside centre, while Sale had lock Cobus Wiese, flank Ernst van Rhyn and No 8 Dan du Preez in their starting lineup. Former Stormers forward Van Rhyn excelled with a match-high 23 tackles. The result saw Sale climb up to second in the Premiership.
Picked off! 🏃💨
Rob du Preez intercepts and goes 60m to extend @SaleSharksRugby‘s lead 🦈#GallagherPrem | #BRIvSAL pic.twitter.com/m44wpLAHhY
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) November 11, 2023
– Springboks Handre Pollard, Jasper Wiese and Andre Esterhuizen all returned to action in Harlequins’ thrilling 29-25 win over Leicester Tigers. Pollard and Wiese both started for Leicester, with the Bok flyhalf setting up a second-half try and kicking two penalties and two conversions. Esterhuizen played 32 minutes after coming off the bench early in the second half. Winger Tyrone Green produced another spectacular finish to score his second try in two games. Harlequins are top of the table after a fourth consecutive win.
WATCH: Pollard excels in Premiership return
Taking flight AGAIN 🤯
Tyrone Green has pulled off another spectacular finish for @Harlequins 👏#GallagherPrem | #LEIvHAR pic.twitter.com/UTh1s9lmwc
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) November 11, 2023
– Northampton Saints leapfrogged Exeter Chiefs into fourth place after a 34-19 home win. Jacques Vermeulen started at flank for Exeter and scored one of three tries for the Chiefs.
– Saracens’ excellent form since the return of their England internationals continued as they demolished Newcastle Falcons 50-12 in Newcastle. Scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl started for Saracens.
Top 14
– Boosted by a host of France internationals, Toulouse bounced back from a loss to Pau by holding out for a 43-34 victory against relegation strugglers Perpignan. Springbok lock Marvin Orie made his first start for Perpignan, after making his debut off the bench in the previous round. Fellow Springbok Rynhardt Elstadt was a substitute for Toulouse.
– Pau continued their excellent start to the season by beating Bordeaux 20-11 for a fifth-straight win. Tighthead prop Carlu Sadie and wing Madosh Tambwe started for Bordeaux, who suffered their third loss of the campaign.
– Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach was back in action for Montpellier in a narrow 17-20 home loss to Clermont. Reinach played off the bench as Montpellier scored 14 second-half points, after trailing 17-3 at half-time. Jan Serfontein started at inside centre for Montpellier.
– Centre Jeremy Ward scored his fourth try of the season to help Stade Francais win 36-32 in a try-fest with Lyon. Ward was joined by veteran scrumhalf Rory Kockott in Stade’s starting lineup, while lock JJ van der Mescht played from the bench.
Jeremy Ward scoring his fourth try of the season for @SFParisRugby 🔥 Really great charge down#SaffasAbroad https://t.co/Iqc8pZXb58 pic.twitter.com/UmcpJumjWm
— Darren (@SaffasRugby) November 11, 2023
– Missing Springboks Dillyn Leyds and Raymond Rhule, La Rochelle bounced back from three defeats by slotting a late penalty to beat Bayonne 18-15. It was the European champions’ second win of the campaign.
– Having welcomed Springbok captain Siya Kolisi to the club in the week, Racing 92 slipped to a 26-31 loss to Toulon. Flyhalf Tristan Tedder played as a substitute for Racing and kicked two conversions in the second half.
Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images