SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend's European Champions Cup, European Challenge Cup and Celtic Pro12 matches, involving South African players.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP QUARTER-FINALS
– Wasps were made to rue Willie le Roux's inexplicable knock-on over the tryline, as they crashed out of the competition following a 32-17 defeat at the hands of Leinster. Ashley Johnson was used as a second-half substitute for Wasps, but although he played well, the visitors were already too far behind on the scoreboard. Leinster had hooker Richardt Strauss and Zane Kirchner in their ranks.
WATCH: Highlights of Leinster vs Wasps
– CJ Stander and Jaco Taute were in the Munster side that beat Toulouse 41-16 to advance to the last four. Stander was in fine form and scored Munster's second try before leaving the field in the 65th minute due to injury. Prop Gurthrö Steenkamp was a second-half replacement for Toulouse.
WATCH: Highlights of Munster vs Toulouse
– Saracens put on a masterclass to clinch a 38-13 victory and eliminate the Glasgow Warriors in London. Sarries captain Brad Barritt played alongside Neil de Kock, Michael Rhodes, Schalk Brits and Vincent Koch, with Barritt scoring one of his team's four tries.
WATCH: Highlights of Saracens vs Glasgow Warriors
– Clermont, featuring Scott Spedding and replacement lock Flip van der Merwe, thrashed Toulon 29-9 in the fourth quarter-final. Bok quartet Duane Vermeulen, Juan Smith, Juandré Kruger and Bryan Habana started for Toulon and were later joined by prop Marcel van der Merwe. This is the first time in five years that Toulon failed to make the semi-finals.
WATCH: Highlights of Clermont vs Toulon
Semi-final lineup:
Munster vs Saracens
Clermont vs Leinster
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINALS
– Bath knocked Brive out of the tournament with a 34-20 win in their last eight clash. Lock Johan Snyman and prop Kevin Buys were in Brive's starting lineup.
– Lock George Earle was part of the Cardiff Blues outfit that slumped to a 46-26 quarter-final defeat against Gloucester, who outscored their Welsh opponents six tries to two.
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– Stade Français rallied well after conceding a red card to oust competition favourites, the Ospreys, 25-21. The Welsh region, with Brian Mujati as tighthead prop, made history when they became the first side to finish the group stage of any European competition with the maximum log points on offer (30 points from five games), but on Sunday they were second best. Morné Steyn and Meyer Bosman were on Stade's bench and played in the second half.
– La Rochelle carried their excellent form in the Top 14 over to the Challenge Cup as they upset Edinburgh 32-22 at Murrayfield to progress to the semi-finals. No 8 Cornell du Preez and lock Anton Bresler started for the shell-shocked Edinburgh.
Semi-final lineup:
Bath vs Stade Français
Gloucester vs La Rochelle
CELTIC PRO12
– Zebre stunned the defending champions, Connacht, 25-22 in Parma. Wings Kayle van Zyl and Lloyd Greeff, flank Derick Minnie, lock Gideon Koegelenberg and hooker Sidney Tobias turned out for the Italian winners, with Minnie scoring their opening try before he was yellow-carded. Lock Quinn Roux represented Connacht.
Photo: Andrew Surma/Getty Images
