Saffas Abroad: Rhule, Kolbe, Kockott fire

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SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the South African players who featured for their respective clubs in the French Top 14 this past weekend.

– La Rochelle, with Raymond Rhule at wing, convincingly beat Toulon 29-11 to consolidate their position in second place on the log. Rhule crossed the line for one of La Rochelle’s tries. Lock Eben Etzebeth was on duty for Toulon.


– Lock Retief Marais was part of the Brive side that slumped to an agonising 26-23 loss in a thrilling encounter with Bayonne. The result means Bayonne are now just one point behind Montpellier in the bottom half of the table.

– Cheslin Kolbe, playing fullback, scored the opening try which set Toulouse on their way to a 31-9 bonus-point victory over Pau. Kolbe was joined in Toulouse’s starting lineup by Springbok teammate Rynhardt Elstadt. Veteran prop Lourens Adriaanse played for Pau. The win extends Toulouse’s lead at the top of the table to three points.


– Flank Gerbrandt Grobler and scrumhalf James Hall were part of the Stade Français team that suffered a 44-6 defeat by an impressive Bordeaux side, which featured lock Jandre Marais.

– Experienced scrumhalf Rory Kockott crossed for one of five tries as Castres thrashed Montpellier 48-17 at home. Lock Ryno Pieterse played alongside Kockott for the winning team. Montpellier had fullback Henry Immelman, centre Jan Serfontein, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, No 8 Jacques du Plessis and lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg in their run-on XV.

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Photo: Le’Quipe

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SA Rugby magazine