SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend's European Cup and European Challenge Cup matches that involved South African players.
EUROPEAN CUP
– Ruan Pienaar's masterclass against Leicester ensured Ulster will play their quarter-final at Ravenhill. Pienaar scored all 22 of his team's points, with a try, a conversion and five penalties, two of those from inside his own half. Former Bok lock Johann Muller captained the Irish club and loose forward Robbie Diack came off the bench in the 55th minute.
– Flank Gerhard Vosloo scored a brace for Clermont, thumping Racing Métro 28-3. Lock Francois van der Merwe and prop Brian Mujati started for Racing.
– Hooker Schalk Brits scored one of Saracens' 11 tries, as they thrashed Connacht 64-6. No 8 Ernst Joubert also started for Sarries, with scrumhalf Neil de Kock coming on in the 50th minute and lock Alistair Hargreaves in the 58th.
– Leinster outclassed the Ospreys 36-3 to reach the last eight, with Bok and ex-Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner coming on for the victors in the 46th minute.
– Don Armand scored Exeter's only try of the match, as they produced the upset of the weekend, beating the Cardiff Blues 19-13.
– Rory Kockott came on in the 51st minute and kicked a penalty, Castres' only points of the match, as they went down 13-3 to the Northampton Saints.
– Toulon beat Glasgow 15-8, with former Bok loose forwards Joe van Niekerk and Juan Smith, lock Bakkies Botha and ex-Sharks hooker Craig Burden starting for the defending champions.
– Toulouse edged Zebre 16-6, with hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle and prop Schalk Ferreira in their starting XV. Jano Vermaak came off the bench in the 52nd minute.
– Montpellier beat Treviso 24-6, who had scrumhalf Tobias Botes in their run-on team. Neither of the teams qualified for the quarter-finals.
– Lock Johan Snyman and prop Jacobie Adriaanse both came off the bench for the Scarlets in the 55th and 77th minute respectively, losing 22-20 to Harlequins in the dying moments of the match.
– Munster defeated Edinburgh 38-6 to reach the quarter-finals for the 15th time in their history. While prop BJ Botha came on as a substitute for the winners in the 58th minute, locks Cornell du Preez and Izak van der Westhuizen and prop WP Nel started for losing side.
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP
– Lock Hendrik Roodt scored Grenoble's first try as they cruised past French rivals Bayonne 34-16.
– Brive overcame Calvisano 31-9 with prop Kevin Buys starting for the French club and fullback Ben de Jager for the Italians.
– Lock Anton van Zyl captained Stade Français to a convincing 48-15 win over Portuguese club Lusitanos, with lock Carl Wegner and hooker Michael van Vuuren also starting for the Parisian side.
– Bok flank Francois Louw was part of Bath's run-on XV, who walloped Bordeaux 54-13.
Stuart Barnes: 'Pienaar is at the peak of his game'
Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images
