SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend’s English Premiership, Pro14 and Americas Rugby Championship matches involving South African players.
ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP
– The Northampton Saints, with Cobus Reinach at scrumhalf, slumped to a 32-9 defeat against Bath at the Rec. Prop Francois van Wyk, lock David Ribbans and scrumhalf Nic Groom were inserted as second-half replacements by the Saints, who are now languishing in 10th position on the log.
– The Worcester Warriors stunned the Exeter Chiefs 6-5 in a dour contest at Sandy Park. Wing Dean Hammond, scrumhalf Francois Hougaard, No 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, lock Anton Bresler, tighthead prop Nick Schonert and hooker Kurt Haupt all turned out for the Warriors. Flank Don Armand played for the Chiefs.
– No 8 Ruan Ackermann and his Gloucester teammates registered a 24-17 victory over their hosts, the Leicester Tigers, at Kingsholm Stadium. Leicester used prop Pat Cilliers as an impact player in the second half.
– Schalk Burger, Vincent Koch and captain Brad Barritt starred for Saracens in their 25-3 win against the Newcastle Falcons at Allianz Park. Hooker Kyle Cooper earned a rare starting berth for the Falcons. The result sees the second-placed Sarries move within two points of Exeter on the log.
– Former Lions duo Faf de Klerk (scrumhalf) and Josh Strauss (No 8) steered the Sale Sharks to a 13-9 triumph over hosts London Irish. Strauss scored the only try of the match, while De Klerk kicked the conversion and two penalties for an eight-point personal tally. Flank Jono Ross started alongside his compatriots for Sale. London Irish had Piet van Zyl, Arno Botha, Franco van der Merwe, Petrus du Plessis and Sebastian de Chaves in their team.
– Wasps beat Harlequins 44-22 to strengthen their hold on third position in the standings. Fullback Willie le Roux and outside centre Juan de Jongh started for Wasps and scored one try apiece. Hooker Ashley Johnson was on the bench, but joined the fray for Wasps in the second half.
PRO14
– Munster extended their lead above the Cheetahs to seven points in Conference A with a 33-5 win against Zebre. Lock Jean Kleyn started for Munster with Gerbrant Grobler coming off the bench in the second half. Flank Johan Meyer started for Zebre, who had Derick Minnie and hooker Luhandré Luus on the bench.
– The Cardiff Blues made the Cheetahs pay for a yellow card and poor start to the second half with a 25-20 win. Lock George Earle started for the Blues, who cut the Cheetahs’ log lead above them to 12 points.
– Flyhalf Zane Kirchner kicked a conversion in the closing stages off the first half to steer the Dragons to a 15-15 draw against Conference A leaders, the Glasgow Warriors. Lock Ligtoring Landman started for the Dragons, who had scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius and centre Jarryd Sage on the bench. Former Stormers flyhalf Brandon Thomson started for the Warriors, while prop Oli Kebble came on in the second half.
– Ulster, with prop Wiehahn Herbst in their starting XV handed a rugby lesson to the Kings with a 59-10 win against the Port Elizabeth-based team. Hooker Rob Herring and wing Louis Ludik came on in the second half for Ulster.
– Wing Duhan van der Merwe scored a try in the second half for Edinburgh who claimed a memorable last-minute victory against Leinster. Flyhalf Jaco van der Walt kicked an important conversion for Edinburgh, who trail Ulster in Conference B by just three points. Former Cheetahs hooker Richardt Strauss captained Leinster, who are now level on points with the Scarlets at the top of Conference B.
– Treviso powered to a shock 22-12 win against the Scarlets. Lock Irné Herbst started for Treviso, while the Scarlets had lock David Bulbring and prop Werner Kruger in their starting XV.
– Connacht cut Cardiff’s log lead to just a single point with a 26-15 win against the Ospreys, who now trail them by seven points in Conference A. The Ospreys had wing Hanno Dirksen yellow carded the second half.
AMERICAS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
– Wing De Wet van Niekerk scored a try for Brazil but it wasn’t enough as they suffered an agonising 27-18 defeat against Uruguay.
Try! Wet Van Niekerk gives @brasilrugby the early lead! #ARC2018 pic.twitter.com/xpp24ReXdN
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) February 9, 2018
Compiled by Mariette Adams and Dylan Jack
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
