SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend’s English Premiership, Celtic Pro12 and French Top 14 matches, involving South African players.
ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP
– The Newcastle Falcons stunned Harlequins 38-32 in a highly entertaining clash at Kingston Park. Flyhalf Tim Swiel started for Quins, but failed to impose himself on the game and was substituted off in the 46th minute.
– Wasps, with the ever-present Ashley Johnson in their ranks, clinched a convincing 26-12 win over hosts the Worcester Warriors at Sixways Stadium. Flank Dewald Potgieter captained the Warriors, who also featured outside centre Wynand Olivier and tighthead prop Nic Schonert in their starting lineup. Wasps are now up to second in the table.
– Pat Cilliers and JP Pietersen were on the Leicester Tigers' bench for their hard-fought 19-11 win over Northampton Saints at Welford Road. Former Western Province and Stormers scrumhalf Nic Groom played for the Saints.
– Flank Nick Fenton-Wells formed part of the Bristol side that lost 26-18 to Gloucester, after leading at half-time. It was their 10th successive league defeat.
– Saracens, featuring Brad Barritt, Schalk Burger, Michael Rhodes, Schalk Brits and Vincent Koch, slumped to a 14-11 defeat at the hands of Bath. It was just Sarries' second defeat in 17 league matches.
– Prop Brian Mujati and his Sale Sharks teammates suffered a 21-3 loss at home against the Exeter Chiefs. Ex-Stormers flank Don Armand started for the winners, who are now fifth on the log.
CELTIC PRO12
– Wing Pat Howard and scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius scored a try apiece for the Newport Gwent Dragons, who went on to lose 28-15 against Leinster. Fullback Carl Meyer, lock Ligtoring Landman and prop Brok Harris played alongside the try-scorers for the Dragons. Leinster had Zane Kirchner at fullback and hooker Richardt Strauss on the bench.
– Ulster cruised to a 35-22 victory in over hosts the Cardiff Blues at Arms Park. Louis Ludik came off the bench to score the last of Ulster's five tries, while scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar knocked over all five conversions. Lock Franco van der Merwe, prop Wiehahn Herbst and hooker Rob Herring also played for Ulster. The Blues had lock George Earle in their run-on XV.
– Loose trio Andries van Schalkwyk, Johan Meyer and Derick Minnie along with captain Quintin Geldenhuys and lock Gideon Koegelenberg were in the plucky Zebre side that lost 31-24 against Scarlets. Van Schalkwyk scored Zebre's opening try. Wing DTH van der Merwe, who crossed for a five-pointer, and prop Werner Kruger were on duty for the winners.
– The rampant Connacht smashed Treviso 47-8 at the Sportsground in Galway. Wing Danie Poolman, flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff and lock Quinn Roux earned starting berths for Connacht, with Poolman running in a try and Boshoff slotting a conversion. Flank Braam Steyn did service for the lowly Italian side at the foot of the standings.
– Prop Allan Dell was in the Edinburgh starting XV that crashed to a 31-22 loss against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium. Ospreys are third in the competition standings, while Edinburgh lingers in 10th.
– Centre Jaco Taute, lock Jean Kleyn and prop Thomas du Toit were on duty for Munster, who narrowly beat the Glasgow Warriors 16-15 at Scotstoun Stadium. Flank Josh Strauss played for the Warriors. Munster are level on points with Leinster, but are top of the table because of a better points difference.
FRENCH TOP 14
– Lock Flip van der Merwe formed part of the Clermont side that slumped to a sensational 40-35 loss against Pau. Result notwithstanding, Clermont remain four points clear at the top of the log, while Pau are 11th.
– Scrumhalf Rory Kockott scored a brilliant individual try as Castres edged Lyon 23-19. Kockott, centre Robert Ebersohn, prop Dan Kötze and hooker Jody Jenneker started for the winners. Jacques Louis-Potgieter, Deon Fourie and Albertus Buckle played for Lyon.
– No 8 Jono Ross scored one of eight tries as Stade Français humiliated 14-man Bayonne 51-5. Boks Heinke van der Merwe and Morné Steyn were among the Stade reserves. Willie du Plessis was a Bayonne substitute.
– Montpellier outlasted Grenoble in a high entertaining game, to secure a 51-37 bonus-point win. Frans Steyn (centre), Demetri Catrakilis (flyhalf), Jacques du Plessis (flank) and Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (lock) turned out for Montpellier, while Pierre Spies and Cameron Wright were benched. Du Plessis crossed for Montpellier's opening try and Catrakilis kicked five conversions and two penalties for a 16-point haul. Scrumhalf Charl McLeod and lock Hendrik Roodt represented Grenoble, with the latter scoring one of four tries.
– Ricky Januarie and his La Rochelle teammates did well to snatch a 23-23 draw with a star-studded Racing 92. Francois van der Merwe and Antonie Claassen sat on Racing's bench.
– Locks Jan Uys and Wilhelm Steenkamp were on duty for Brive, who were beaten 30-12 by hosts Toulouse on Sunday.
– Boks Bryan Habana, Juandré Kruger and Marcel van der Merwe and lock Andries Ferreira turned out for Toulon, who hammered Bordeaux 37-10 at Stade Felix Mayol. Habana had a good game and barged over for Toulon's first try of the match, before setting up another. Prop Steven Kitshoff represented Bordeaux, who had to play with 14 men for 68 minutes after conceding a red card 22 minutes in to the game.
Photo: Boris Horvat/AFP
