Saffas Abroad: Bok centres shine in Europe

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It was a good weekend for the Springbok centres playing overseas, as Andre Esterhuizen, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Jan Serfontien all scored tries for their respective teams.

Vodacom United Rugby Championship

– Munster closed the gap on the top two teams – Ulster and Leinster – to five points with a 34-20 bonus-point win over Edinburgh on Friday night.

Flank Chris Cloete and lock Jean Kleyn both played for Munster, with the former making the most turnovers (three) and the latter leading the way in tackles (26).

WATCH: Cloete carries teammate like a sack of coal

Fullback Henry Immelman and loosehead prop Boan Venter started for Edinburgh, who are in fifth place, one point behind Munster.

– Prop Oli Kebble and centre Kyle Steyn returned from international duty with Scotland to help Glasgow Warriors claim a 13-3 win over Benetton.

Kebble and Steyn both started for Glasgow, while former Lions loosehead Nathan McBeth was a substitute.

Benetton had second-row pair Irne Herbst and Carl Wegner and wing Rhyno Smith in their starting lineup. Former Vodacom Bulls hooker Corniel Els was on the bench.

English Premiership

– Duhan van der Merwe scored a try as Worcester Warriors got the better of Bristol Bears with a 19-14 victory at Sixways Stadium.

Van der Merwe opened the scoring in the fourth minute, racing on to a kick through the defence, gathering the ball and grounding it. Scrumhalf Gareth Simpson also started for Worcester, who are level on points with 11th-placed Newcastle.

– Springbok loose forward Jasper Wiese got on the scoresheet to help league-leaders Leicester Tigers come from behind to beat bottom- of-the-table Bath.

Wiese gave Leicester an early lead as he muscled his way over the tryline in the fifth minute. In total, he made 14 carries for 33 metres, beat four defenders and made eight tackles.

Hanro Liebenberg came off the bench for Leicester in the second half and he made four carries and beat one defender.

Bath had flank Jaco Coetzee and hooker Jacques du Toit in their starting lineup. Coetzee played 75 minutes and made five carries and eight tackles.

– Andre Esterhuizen helped Harlequins bounce back from three consecutive losses with a 29-24 bonus-point win over Wasps.

Esterhuizen was on hand to finish off a superbly worked team try in the 45th minute, in which fullback Tyrone Green also played a role.

In total, Esterhuizen made 64m from seven carries, beat three defenders, picked up a try assist and made 10 tackles. Green, meanwhile, made 45m with ball in hand and beat five defenders.

Stephan Lewies started at blindside flank for Harlequins. He played 65 minutes and made nine tackles and won three lineouts. Springbok tighthead prop Wilco Louw was on the bench for Harlequins and made seven tackles in the second half.

Former Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr came off the bench for Wasps in the second half.

WATCH: Esterhuizen finishes off team try

– Benhard Janse van Rensburg scored a brace as London Irish stunned Saracens with a thrilling 32-30 win.

Janse van Rensburg scored twice in the first half to give London Irish a 12-10 lead at the break. The former Cheetahs centre made 50m with the ball, beat three defenders, made two linebreaks and 10 tackles.

Springboks Ivan van Zyl and Vincent Koch started for Saracens. Van Zyl was replaced by Ruben de Haas in the 27th minute. Koch played the full 80 minutes and made five carries and 10 tackles.

– Rohan Janse van Rensburg scored the decisive try as Sale Sharks continued their impressive run of form with a 22-21 away win over Northampton Saints.

With Saints leading 21-15 shortly after half time, Janse van Rensburg went over the tryline in the 58th minute for what was ultimately the winning try.

Joining Janse van Rensburg in Sale’s starting lineup were centre partner Robert du Preez, No 8 Daniel du Preez, flanks Jono Ross and Jean-Luc du Preez, second-row pair JP du Preez and Cobus Wiese and prop Coenie Oosthuizen. Bok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk came off the bench for Sale in the 52nd minute.

Northampton Saints had wing Courtnall Skosan, lock David Ribbans and No 8 Juarno Augustus in their starting lineup. Augustus scored a try in the sixth minute of play.


– Exeter Chiefs were made to work hard for a 15-14 victory over a 14-man Newcastle Falcons.

Jannes Kirsten and Don Armand started in Exeter’s pack of forwards.

Top 14

– Springbok flank Rynhardt Elstadt started for Toulouse as they suffered a 27-22 loss to a 13-man Pau, who lost a player to a red card in each half. The result dropped Toulouse to sixth place on the log, while Pau climbed to ninth.

– Cheslin Kolbe starred as Toulon claimed their second successive win with a 29-18 victory over Perpignan. Kolbe played the full 80 minutes at fullback and picked up a try assist, while he also went very close to scoring a try himself.

Flyhalf Tristan Tedder started for Perpignan. He scored a try and kicked one conversion and two penalties.

– Jan Serfontein scored a try for Montpellier, who were held to a 16-16 draw by Brive. Serfontein, who was joined in Montpellier’s starting lineup by Springboks Cobus Reinach and Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, showed great strength to drive himself over the tryline in the 26th minute.

– Raymond Rhule turned in an excellent performance for La Rochelle as they beat Clermont 31-27. Rhule, who started at outside centre, made 28m, seven passes and four linebreaks. Flank Wiaan Liebenberg also started for La Rochelle.

– Springbok tighthead prop Trevor Nyakane started for Racing 92, who needed an 80th-minute penalty to seal a 16-13 win over Bordeaux. Nyakane played just over one half and made nine tackles.

Japan League One

– Springbok centre Jesse Kriel faced off against Bok teammate Kwagga Smith as Canon Eagles took on Shizuoka Blue Revs. It was Kriel’s Eagles who came out on top, with a 28-18 victory.

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images for Sale Sharks

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Dylan Jack