Catch up on the weekend action involving SA players based overseas and on duty in the final round of the Champions and Challenge Cup, as well as how some Springboks played in Japan’s League One.
MORE: SA get full house in Champions Cup
Champions Cup
– Tigers fell to a last-minute loss against Ospreys In Leicester on Friday night despite Handre Pollard’s continued excellent form off the kicking tee. In a solid performance, the Bok flyhalf converted both of Leicester’s tries and slotted four penalties. Hanro Liebenberg captained Leicester and missed none of his 12 tackle attempts.
– La Rochelle secured first place in Pool B by punishing a Northampton Saints side that lost two players to red cards in the dying moments of each half. Dillyn Leyds and Raymond Rhule started on the wings for La Rochelle, but Leyds was forced off in the 39th minute in the head-to-contact incident that earned Northampton their first red card. Fellow Springbok speedster Courtnall Skosan started for Northampton and made 111 metres from six carries.
– Gloucester earned a place in the Champions Cup playoffs by beating an ill-disciplined Bordeaux 26-17 in France. Madosh Tambwe started for Bordeaux, who had three players yellow-carded in the match and failed to progress to the last 16.
– Leinster secured top spot in Pool A and home advantage in the knockout stage as they overcame Racing 36-10 in Dublin on Saturday. Springboks Warrick Gelant and Trevor Nyakane started for Racing, but the tighthead prop was forced off just before the break with an injury. Gelant, meanwhile, had a solid 70-minute outing, making six tackles, winning a turnover penalty and making two offloads.
– Exeter Chiefs earned a home tie in the round of 16 after an emphatic 40-3 mauling of Castres at Sandy Park on Saturday. Lock Jannes Kirsten, set to join the Vodacom Bulls next season, started for Exeter and completed all five of his tackle in his 54 minutes of game time.
– Duane Vermeulen played an integral role in helping Ulster overcome Sale Sharks 22-11 and progress to the playoffs. The Springbok No 8 capped off the victory with a try in the 76th minute, joining fellow South African Rob Herring on the scoresheet for Ulster. Sale Sharks had just three of their South African contingent in the starting lineup: flyhalf Robert du Preez, No 8 Jean-Luc du Preez and flank Jono Ross.
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— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) January 21, 2023
– Cobus Reinach scored the decisive try as Montpellier completed a thrilling comeback to hold London Irish to a 21-21 draw and dash the Premiership side’s playoff hopes. Montpellier were 21-0 down in the second half, before starting an incredible comeback, capped off when Reinach’s quick thinking saw him score from a quick-tap penalty. France lock Paul Willemse and Springbok counterpart Nico Janse van Rensburg both started for Montpellier.
– Scotland loosehead Pierre Schoeman produced a top-quality performance as Edinburgh held on to beat Saracens 20-14. Schoeman not only scored the winning try, but also made 41 metres from 21 carries and completed all six of his tackles. Fellow Scotland-capped prop WP Nel also started for Edinburgh, while Vodacom Bulls-bound Henry Immelman made 82 metres at fullback. Saracens had Ivan van Zyl at scrumhalf as the Premiership side grabbed a losing bonus point to secure a home playoff.
MORE: Masuku kicks Cheetahs into playoffs
Challenge Cup
– Toulon secured a home tie in the Challenge Cup round of 16 as they eased to victory over Zebre Parma at the Stade Félix Mayol on Friday. Cheslin Kolbe started on the right wing for Toulon and made 48 metres from eight carries as well as 10 tackles. Zebre had wing Kobus van Wyk, centre Franco Smith and lock Jan Uys in their starting lineup.
– Chris Cloete dotted down for Bath in a 16-16 draw with Glasgow Warriors. The loose forward was joined by scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and tighthead prop Johannes Jonker in Bath’s starting lineup. Scotland-capped wing Kyle Steyn and lock JP du Preez and prop Nathan McBeth were in action for Glasgow.
– Rhyno Smith scored a try and a drop-goal as Benetton put in a determined display to edge Stade Français 35-32 on Saturday. Playing at fullback, Smith also made two clean breaks and a total of 69 metres. Lock JJ van der Merscht started for Stade, who had Bok tighthead prop Vincent Koch on the bench.
Japan League One
– Faf de Klerk scored a try off the bench to help Canon Eagles secure a bonus-point victory and third win of the season against Green Rockets. Centre Jesse Kriel and fullback SP Marais also started for the Eagles, who have lifted themselves into the top four with two wins on the trot.
– Panasonic Wild Knights retained their stewardship of the log’s top spot with a comfortable 38-17 win over a game Ricoh Black Rams. After a successful debut last week, Lood de Jager started again for the Wild Knights, who are unbeaten, but lead the log by just one point.
– Frans Ludeke’s Kubota Spears side survived a scare to beat Kobe Steel in a 25-21 thriller and hold on to second place. Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx and Japan-capped South Africans Gerhard van den Heever and Lappies Labuschagne all scored a try each for Kubota, who also had lock David Bulbring and Ruan Botha in their team. Marcell Coetzee scored a try for Kobe, as the seventh-placed side nearly snatched an upset win.
– Toshiba Brave Lupus piled more pain on the struggling Toyota Verblitz in a 63-25 mauling. Pieter-Steph du Toit captained Verblitz, while Willie le Roux was at fullback. Verblitz are ninth place, having won just one of their first five fixtures this season.
– Struggling outfit Blue Revs managed some respite by holding Mitsubishi Dynaboars to a 27-27 draw. Kwagga Smith continued to captain the Blue Revs, who are still looking for their first win of the season, while lock Walt Steenkamp started for the Dynaboars.
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