Steven Kitshoff got his first win in an Ulster jersey in style, coming out on top against two fellow World Cup winners in the Champions Cup.
CHAMPIONS CUP
– Juarno Augustus made a timely return from injury to help Northampton Saints scalp Toulon 22-19 and go top of Pool 3. Having missed the start of the season due to a bicep injury suffered in training, Augustus made his first appearance off the bench, playing the final 20 minutes as Northampton saw off a late comeback effort from the French giants. Western Cape-born England lock David Ribbans started for Toulon.
– Franco Smith‘s Glasgow Warriors claimed their first win of the tournament, with a determined defensive effort key to claiming a 12-11 victory away to Bayonne. Prop duo Oli Kebble and Nathan McBeth played off the bench for Glasgow.
– Saracens bounced back from their heavy defeat to the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria, in a thrilling 55-36 eight-try win over Connacht. After starting at Loftus Versfeld, scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl played off the bench in London, setting up Saracens’ sixth try turning over the ball at the breakdown before switching it out to the right wing. Saracens are level on five log points in Pool 1 with the Bulls.
– Bordeaux went top of Pool 1 with a second consecutive bonus-point win at home against the Bristol Bears. Former Sharks and Lions tighthead prop Carlu Sadie started for Bordeaux and played 57 minutes.
– Jacques Nienaber‘s Leinster scored four second-half tries to come from behind and beat a heavily-rotated Sale Sharks 37-27 in Dublin. Lock Jason Jenkins started for Leinster, who were at full strength and moved to the top of Pool 4. Flyhalf Robert du Preez kicked three conversions and two penalties for Sale, who had Ernst van Rhyn at flank and Jean-Luc du Preez on the bench.
– A supersub impact from flank Jaco Coetzee helped Johann van Graan‘s Bath go level with Toulouse at the top of Pool 2 by claiming 39-32 win in Cardiff. Coetzee scored two tries in the final 20 minutes as Bath walked away with all five points. Springbok prop Thomas du Toit and flank Chris Cloete started for Bath, while loosehead prop Juan Schoeman joined Coetzee on the bench. Flyhalf Tinus de Beer had another solid outing for Cardiff, slotting three conversions and two penalties.
– Steven Kitshoff got the bragging rights in his Springbok battle as Ulster opened their Champions Cup accounting with a convincing 31-15 victory over winless Racing 92. Kitshoff was up against Springbok tighthead Trevor Nyakane in the scrum, while Bok captain Siya Kolisi also started for Racing 92.
– Exeter Chiefs produced a tremendous second-half performance to come from a nine-point half-time deficit and win 32-24 against Munster. Flank Jacques Vermeulen started for Exeter, who are unbeaten and tied with Northampton at the top of Pool 3.
– A French-powered Toulouse overpowered Harlequins in a 47-19 thrashing in London. Bok centre Andre Esterhuizen scored a try from a powerful run to help Harlequins level the scores after conceding an early try, but the game belonged to the visitors from there. Fullback Tyrone Green and lock Irne Herbst were also in action for Harlequins.
– A heavily-changed Leicester Tigers, missing flyhalf Handre Pollard and No 8 Jasper Wiese, showed their depth by beating Stade Francais 27-24 in Paris. Flank Hanro Liebenberg was the only South African in action for Leicester. Centre Jeremy Ward started for Stade, who are winless and bottom of Pool 4.
CHALLENGE CUP
– Duhan van der Merwe punished 14-man Castres by scoring a brace in Edinburgh’s 34-21 bonus-point win. Van der Merwe, who scored the 9th and 10th tries of his Challenge Cup career, was a thorn in the side of Castres – who had inside centre Andrea Cocagi sent off in the early stages for dangerous play. Fellow wing Wes Goosen also got on the scoresheet for Sean Everitt‘s team, who claimed their first win of the campaign in style.
– Fullback Rhyno Smith became Benetton’s all-time leading try-scorer in EPCR competitions, dotting down twice to bring up eight tries in a 29-7 win against Perpignan.
– Top 14 strugglers Montpellier continued their excellent Challenge Cup campaign by thrashing Ospreys 38-5 to stay ahead of the Lions at the top of Pool 2. Bok centre Jan Serfontein started for Montpellier and picked up a try-assist, while scrumhalf Cobus Reinach played off the bench.
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