The European leagues returned to full action following the Six Nations and there were mixed fortunes for the Springboks as Handre Pollard scored, but Cheslin Kolbe picked up an injury.
PREMIERSHIP
– Handre Pollard produced another classy display at flyhalf to guide Leicester Tigers to a fifth-straight win as they beat Bristol Bears 46-24 to significantly boost their playoff hopes. Pollard missed just one of his five conversion attemps, slotted two penalties and grabbed a sensational second-half try for a haul of 19 points. Loose forwards Jasper Wiese and Hanro Liebenberg also started for Leicester, while lock Eli Snyman was on the bench.
It had to be done… ? pic.twitter.com/2UYKK3Gl8j
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) March 26, 2023
– League leaders Saracens came out on top at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they beat Harlequins 36-24 to continue their march towards the semi-finals. Ivan van Zyl started for Saracens, who welcomed a host of England internationals back into their lineup. Andre Esterhuizen led the way for Harlequins’ South African contingent, including locks Irne Herbst and Stephan Lewies and tighthead prop Wilco Louw. Defeat left Harlequins 10 points outside the top four.
– Juarno Augustus scored a brilliant try but his Northampton Saints side fell to a 37-22 loss to playoff-chasing London Irish. Along with his first-half try, Augustus also made 10 tackles, nine carries and beat four defenders. London Irish were inspired by another solid performance from centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who made 36 metres from 12 carries, nine passes, beat one defender and picked up a try assist.
Saints strike ?@SaintsRugby back in the game thanks to this Juarno Augustus try.
Watch live on @btsportrugby ?#GallagherPrem | #LIRvNOR pic.twitter.com/0DCZdZzFTq
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) March 25, 2023
– Johan van Graan’s Bath picked up a first win of 2023 as they defeated Exeter Chiefs 36-19 in a south west derby on Sunday afternoon. Loose forward Chris Cloete, who was joined by GJ van Velze in Bath’s pack, made 12 tackles and won two turnover for his side. Scrumhalf Louis Schreuder came off the bench for Bath. Exeter, who were without Jacques Vermeulen and Jannes Kirsten due to injury, had former Cheetahs flank Aidon Davis among their substitutes.
TOP 14
– League leaders Toulouse slipped up for the second time in five weeks after falling to a 27-17 loss away to 11th-placed Castres. Springbok loose forward Rynhardt Elstadt started for Toulouse, while lock Ryno Pieterse was in action for Castres.
– Cobus Reinach scored a crucial try as Montpellier fought to a 23-22 away derby win over relegation-threatened Perpignan for their second victory in a row. Reinach was joined by fellow Springboks Nico Janse van Rensburg and centre Jan Serfontein in Montpellier’s starting lineup. Fullback Tristan Tedder kicked two conversions and a penalty for Perpignan, who dropped back into the bottom two.
– There was joy and heartbreak for Cheslin Kolbe as Toulon grabbed their fourth win from five games by beating Lyon 27-23 away from home. Kolbe scored a first-half try but then had to be helped from the field after suffering an ankle injury. Fellow Springbok Arno Botha also scored at try at No 8 for Lyon.
– Bottom of the table Brive finished the 38-10 defeat at Clermont with 13 men after Fijian centre Setareki Bituniyata and South African tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe were shown red cards in the final 10 minutes.
– Pau bounced back from a run of three consecutive losses with a 30-20 win over Bayonne. Uzair Cassiem scored a first-half try for Bayonne, who suffered their second consecutive defeat.
– La Rochelle climbed into second place by outplaying Bordeaux in a 36-6 away victory, their fourth win in a row. Raymond Rhule started at outside centre for La Rochelle, while lock Jandre Marais started for Bordeaux.
– Racing 92 shrugged off a first-half red card to claim a 17-13 win in their Parisian derby against Stade Francais. Trevor Nyakane started at tighthead prop, while fellow Springbok Warrick Gelant returned from injury for Racing from the bench. Stade had Jeremy Ward at outside centre and scrumhalf James Hall on the bench.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE
– The South Africans put on a show with six of Yokohama Canon Eagles’ 10 tries in their demolition of Kintetsu Liners being claimed by players born in the Republic, as the visitors strolled to an easy 52-point victory in Osaka. Loose forward Kobus van Dyk and fullback SP Marais scored two tries each, while Springboks Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel also got in on the action with a try each towards the end of the match.
– A try from Springbok lock Lood de Jager helped Panasonic Wild Knight see off Toyota Verblitz in a tough 19-10 away win. De Jager, who scored the Wild Knights’ only try from a ruck close to the Toyota goalline, was later sin-binned for interfering with the ball at a ruck from an offside position, as Verblitz rallied after conceding a 13-point lead in as many minutes at the start of the game. Damian de Allende also started for Wild Knights, while Pieter-Steph du Toit and Willie le Roux played for Verblitz.
– Shizuoka Blue Revs, again without captain Kwagga Smith due to injury, went back-to-back in the league by punishing a 14-man Dynaboars in a 30-20 win. Former Bulls back Clinton Swart scored a try, conversion and a penalty for Blue Revs. Lock Walt Steenkamp scored for the Dynaboars.
– Kubota Spears moved to within a win of securing a semi-final berth after holding off a determined challenge from Kobelco Kobe Steelers. Malcolm Marx was joined by lock Ruan Botha and fullback Gerhard van den Heever in Kubota’s starting lineup, while David Bulbring and centre Rikus Pretorius were on the bench. Former Stormers lock JD Schickerling started for Kobe Steelers.
Photo: Dave Wainwright for Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images