Saffas Abroad: Wiese wreaks havoc, Tambwe touches down

Published on

Here’s a wrap of all the action involving South African players in the English Premiership and French Top 14, including the wrecking ball-performance by Jasper Wiese.

Premiership

– Jasper Wiese continued his incredible form for Leicester Tigers as the defending champions were held to a 26-26 draw by Bristol Bears. Wiese made a massive 17 carries – the most of any player on the pitch – gaining 53 metres and beat four defenders. Captain Hanro Liebenberg made 11 tackles for Leicester, who lost loosehead prop Frans van Wyk to a red card for a high tackle.

– Harlequins closed the gap on second-placed Sale Sharks by holding on for a 19-13 win over Bath. Springboks Andre Esterhuizen and Wilco Louw both started for Harlequins. Esterhuizen made 12 carries for 32 metres, beat two defenders and made one offload. Lock Irne Herbst was also in action for Harlequins, who are in third place on the table.

– Gloucester ended a three-match slump by powering to a bonus-point 34-19 win over Northampton Saints. Ruan Ackermann started for Gloucester, but was yellow-carded in the final 10 minutes of the match. Juarno Augustus was at No 8 for Saints, who dropped down to fifth place.

Top 14

– Madosh Tambwe scored his sixth try in eight games to wrap up a 33-13 win for Bordeaux over Brive. Springbok prop Marcel van der Merwe and former Cheetahs centre Nico Lee started for Brive, who find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table.

– Racing 92, featuring Warrick Gelant at fullback, went second on the log by outplaying Toulon in a 31-14 away win. South African-born Scotland flank Cornell du Preez started for Toulon.

– Cobus Reinach started for Montpellier, who suffered a narrow 19-14 loss to Clermont.

– League leaders Toulouse, with Bok flank Rynhardt Elstadt in their squad, picked up a first win in three games by beating Perpignan 34-13. Racing 92-bound flyhalf Tristan Tedder kicked two penalties and a conversion for Perpignan.

– Uzair Cassiem came out on top in the battle of the veteran South African eighthmen as Bayonne beat Arno Botha‘s Lyon 19-7 to leapfrog into fifth place on the table. Botha is set to return to Pretoria to face former team the Vodacom Bulls in the Champions Cup on Saturday.

– Stade Francais climbed ahead of La Rochelle into third place with a 27-14 victory over a largely second-string side missing Springboks Dillyn Leyds and Raymond Rhule. Stade had Jeremy Ward at outside centre, while lock JJ van der Mescht and Racing-bound scrumhalf James Hall played off the bench. Springbok prop Vincent Koch made his Stade debut as a substitute.

Photo: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images

Post by

Dylan Jack