Saffas Abroad: Trokkie scores in Premiership try fest

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An action-packed weekend featured no fewer than 10 South African try-scorers in the Premiership and Top 14, with Juarno Augustus opening his account for English league leaders Northampton Saints.

Premiership:
– A late penalty from Handre Pollard helped Leicester Tigers survive a comeback from Harlequins to win 20-19 in London. Pollard kicked two penalties and two conversions, one of those following a try from No 8 Jasper Wiese as sixth-placed Leicester claimed a third Premiership win in a row. Fullback Tyrone Green scored a 78th-minute try for Harlequins, while Bok centre Andre Esterhuizen started for second-placed Harlequins and loose forward Hanro Liebenberg was in action for Leicester.

– Juarno Augustus scored his first try of the season for league leaders Northampton Saints to cap a bonus-point victory over winless Newcastle Falcons. Augustus played 20 minutes off the bench and went over the line in the 75th minute for Northampton’s fifth try of the match. Burger Odendaal started at outside centre and played 67 minutes for Northampton, who went seven points clear at the top of the Premiership.

– Bristol Bears held on to win a 14-try, 101-point thriller in the derby against Bath. Springbok tighthead Thomas du Toit and loose forward Jaco Coetzee scored two of Bath’s six tries, as Johann van Graan‘s side grabbed a bonus point from the 57-44 loss. Coetzee was one of two Bath players yellow-carded, along with scrumhalf Louis Schreuder. Centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg kicked a late conversion for Bristol, who cut the gap on the top four to six points.

– Ivan van Zyl dotted down as Saracens scored three second-half tries to beat Exeter Chiefs 40-22. Van Zyl’s first-half try, his sixth of the season, helped Saracens tie the game up at 15-15 at half time. The bonus-point win saw Saracens close in on Harlequins, with just one point separating second from fourth. Jacques Vermeulen started at blindside flank for Exeter.

– Ruan Ackermann scored a first-half try to help Gloucester earn a bonus-point win against Sale Sharks. Flyhalf Robert du Preez kicked two conversions and two penalties for Sale, who had prop Nic Schonert, lock Cobus Wiese and No 8 Dan du Preez in the lineup.

Top 14:
– Jeremy Ward‘s sixth try of the season helped Stade Francais claim a crucial victory over Bordeaux in a 30-26 thriller. Former Sharks centre Ward, captaining Stade Francais, scored in the 37th minute, but was yellow-carded for a tackle off the ball two minutes later, just before half time. The win saw Stade go above Bordeaux into second place on the Top 14 table, cutting the gap on leaders Racing 92 to three points.

– Montpellier gave themselves further hope of escaping the relegation zone with a 22-17 victory against Pau. Springbok centre Jan Serfontein scored a first-half try, with Montpellier now just one point from 12th-placed Perpignan. Fellow Springboks Nico Janse van Rensburg and Cobus Reinach also started for Montpellier.

– Springbok flank Arno Botha opened his account for the season, scoring a try as Lyon beat Perpignan 36-24. Springbok lock Marvin Orie returned to action for Perpignan, making his first start since December.

– Toulon gave their playoff hopes a massive boost with a 25-23 victory over La Rochelle. The win saw Toulon climb to fifth place on the table, with five points separating them from La Rochelle, now in eighth place, who had Dillyn Leyds on the bench.

– Defending Top 14 champions Toulouse earned a 27-20 win against league leaders Racing 92 in a repeat of last season’s semi-final. Fullback Tristan Tedder produced a valiant effort for Racing, scoring a try, two conversions and two penalties, helping the Parisians come away with a losing bonus point.

Photo: Action Images/Andrew Boyers

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