The race for playoff places heated up in France, where a clash of Springbok wings saw Dillyn Leyds collide with Cheslin Kolbe.
Premiership
– Johann van Graan‘s Bath secured a place in next season’s Champions Cup by demolishing Saracens 61-29 in a dramatic final match of the season at The Recreation Ground. Flank Chris Cloete got in on the action by dotting down one of Bath’s nine tries. Cloete also made 10 carries, nine tackles and won a turnover. Lock GJ van Velze started for Bath, who had loosehead prop Juan Schoeman on the bench.
– Harlequins signed off for the summer in style with a 20-17 victory away at 14-man Leicester Tigers. Bok centre Andre Esterhuizen and lock Irne Herbst both started for Harlequins. Leicester, already assured of a place in the playoffs, had a strong starting lineup including Handre Pollard, Jasper Wiese and Hanro Liebenberg. The hosts were reduced to 14 men when retiring former England wing Chris Ashton was sent off just before half time.
– London Irish scored a 70th-minute try to snatch a 17-14 home victory against Exeter Chiefs, but finished three points short of a place in the top four. Centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg started for London Irish and made 10 tackles. Loose forward Jacques Vermeulen and lock Jannes Kirsten started for Exeter, with the latter making his final appearance before rejoining the Vodacom Bulls. Vermeulen scored one of Exeter’s two tries.
– Sale Sharks warmed up for the weekend’s semi-final with a comfortable 54-12 victory over Newcastle Falcons. Jean-Luc du Preez, playing at lock, Robert du Preez at outside centre, tighthead prop Coenie Oosthuizen and No 8 Jono Ross all started for Sale. Lock Sebastian de Chaves and flank Philip van der Walt were in action for Newcastle.
Top 14
– Stade Francais suffered a major blow in their quest for a top-two finish after a 32-16 loss to ninth-placed Clermont. Centre Jeremy Ward started for Stade, who had scrumhalf James Hall and Springbok tighthead prop Vincent Koch on the bench. The loss leaves Stade Francais 10 points away from second place with two games to go. A finish in the top two ensures automatic qualification for the semi-finals.
– Racing 92 drew closer to securing their place in the playoffs by thrashing Bayonne 55-14 to climb into fourth place, three points from Stade Francais. Trevor Nyakane started for Racing, while Warrick Gelant played off the bench. No 8 Uzair Cassiem started for Bayonne, who suffered their fourth loss in five games.
– Defending champions Montpellier’s hopes of a place in the top six are fading quickly after relegation-threatened Brive beat the title holders 27-26. It was Montpellier’s third successive loss and left them eight points off a place in the playoffs. Jan Serfontein started for Montpellier, who had Springbok forward Nico Janse van Rensburg on the bench. Brive, who had a player red-carded in the first half, fielded tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe.
– Lyon bounced back from a run of four successive losses to claim a 41-31 victory over Perpignan. Arno Botha started for Lyon, who have climbed into fifth place on the log and trail Racing by one point.
– La Rochelle have virtually secured a place in the top two with an away 23-8 win against Toulon. There was a clash of the Springbok wings as La Rochelle’s Dillyn Leyds was up against Toulon’s Cheslin Kolbe. While Kolbe scored Toulon’s only try of the match, it was Leyds and teammate Raymond Rhule who walked away as victors. A second successive loss saw Toulon drop out of the top six.
– Table topping Toulouse held on to first place by claiming a bonus-point 31-17 win against Bordeaux. Springbok flank Rynhardt Elstadt played off the bench for Toulouse, who are just one point ahead of La Rochelle.
Japan League One
– Johan Ackermann‘s Urayasu D-Rocks will have to overturn a 22-point deficit to gain promotion after suffering a 36-14 loss to Kinetetsu Liners in the first leg of their promotion-relegation playoff. Former Sharks flank Tyler Paul played off the bench for the D-Rocks.
– Division Two runners-up Honda Heat will take a lead into their second leg against NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu, although the advantage is not what it might have been after the visitors rallied from 27-5 down to close to five points in a 34-29 defeat. Springbok lock Franco Mostert started for Honda, who had former Bulls prop Matthys Basson and centre Dawid Kellerman on the bench.
– In the third Replacement Battle between the top two divisions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars appear to have already retained their place in the top flight after comfortably accounting for Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi, 59-21. Former Bulls lock Walt Steenkamp started and scored a try for the Dynaboars.
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