Saffas Abroad: Ackermann, Du Preez steal the show in England

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It was a good weekend for South African eighthmen as Ruan Ackermann and Daniel du Preez both turned in Man of the Match performances in the English Premiership.

Premiership Rugby
– Ruan Ackermann continued his impressive form with a brace in a Man of the Match display as Gloucester beat London Irish 24-7 to move up to second on the table. Playing at No 8 for Gloucester, Ackermann scored two tries, made 19 carries and 16 tackles (the most of any Gloucester player), while also winning two turnovers.

London Irish started centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg and unleashed hooker Michael Willemse and tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe off the bench.

– Hanro Liebenberg and Jasper Wiese both helped league leaders Leicester Tigers return to winning ways with a 36-16 victory over Worcester Warriors. Liebenberg celebrated his new deal with Leicester by captaining the team and scoring a second-half try. The loose forward played the full 80 minutes and made seven carries, five passes, 13 tackles and one linebreak.

Wiese, meanwhile, was substituted just after half time, but was still highly effective in the first half, making eight tackles and beating six defenders.

Francois Venter and scrumhalf Gareth Simpson both started for Worcester.

– Springboks Vincent Koch and Ivan van Zyl started for Saracens as they bounced back from two successive losses with a 40-3 thrashing of Bath.

Tighthead prop Koch played 64 minutes and made 15 tackles, winning two turnovers while Van Zyl played 67 minutes before he was replaced by South African-born USA scrumhalf Ruben de Haas.

Jaco Coetzee made his first start for Bath since returning from injury. The former Stormers player got through the full 80 minutes at openside flank and made 13 carries and 11 tackles.

– In the big match of the weekend, Sale Sharks boosted their hopes of making the playoffs when they beat defending champions Harlequins 36-14.

Dan du Preez put in a second successive Man of the Match performance for Sale Sharks, having shined against Leicester in the previous round. The Springbok No 8 made four carries for 14 metres, fired six passes, completed all 10 of his tackles and beat one defender.

Also starting for Sale were Lood de Jager, Jean-Luc du Preez, Jono Ross, Coenie Oosthuizen, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Robert du Preez. The oldest Du Preez brother, who played at outside centre, scored two tries. Sale welcomed back from injury utility forward Cobus Wiese and Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk. De Klerk had a good impact, picking up an assist for Du Preez’s second try.

Andre Esterhuizen and Tyron Green both played for Harlequins, but struggled to deal with Sale’s physicality.

WATCH: Faf makes comeback in style

Top 14
– Flyhalf Tristan Tedder kicked four conversions and a penalty to steer 11th-placed Perpignan to a 36-13 victory over fifth-placed Toulouse.

– Cheslin Kolbe was unable to prevent Toulon from slipping to a 22-10 defeat by Castres, a result that dropped Toulon to the bottom of the table. Kolbe played the full 80 minutes at fullback and made 40m from nine carries.

Rory Kockott captained Castres and scored their only try of the match in the first half, before he was yellow-carded.

– Cobus Reinach scored a hat-trick to help Montpellier claim a 29-12 win over Pau. The win lifted Montpellier to second place on the table, five points behind Bordeaux.

The Springbok scrumhalf played 70 minutes, making 58m from six carries and completed three tackles.

WATCH: Reinach dazzles Pau with hat-trick

Springbok lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg and young prop Robert Rodgers came off the bench for Montpellier.

– 21-year-old fullback Joe Jonas scored a crucial try to help Biarritz stun La Rochelle 27-24. Jonas came off the bench in the second half and scored in the 67th minute as Biarritz came from behind to win the match.

Flyhalf Brett Heron kicked three conversions and two penalties.

Springbok back Dillyn Leyds and loose forward Wiaan Liebenberg started for La Rochelle.

Japan League One
– Springboks Willie le Roux and Pieter-Steph du Toit both started for Toyota Verblitz in their 23-19 win over Ricoh Black Rams.

– Kwagga Smith started at No 8 and scored a try but was unable to prevent Shizuoka Blue Revs from losing 59-26 to Toshiba Brave Lupus.

– Former Stormers flyhalf Josh Stander scored a try, kicked two conversions and a penalty to guide Suntory Sungoliath to a 22-3 win over Red Hurricanes. Franco Marais, Tyler Paul and Gianni Lombard all played for Red Hurricanes.

–Former Stormers lock JD Schickerling started for Kobe Steelers as they thrashed Green Rockets 48-17.

–  Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored his fourth try in two games to help Kubota Spears claim a 50-21 win over Canon Eagles. South Africa-bon Japanese internationals Lappies Labuschagne and Gerhard van den Heever also scored a try each for Kubota.

Springbok centre Jesse Kriel scored a brace of tries for Canon Eagles.

Photo: David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images

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Dylan Jack