Saffas Abroad: Marx gets one over Bok teammates in Japan

Published on

SARugbymag.co.za wraps all the action involving South African players in England, France and Japan, including a look at how Malcolm Marx fared when he went head to head with Pieter-Steph du Toit.

English Premiership

– London Irish came from behind to hold Sale Sharks to a 27-27 draw in an eight-try thriller on Friday night.

Daniel and Jean-Luc du Preez both scored tries for Sale, with the former twin scoring a brace of tries, one in each half. The brothers, who also made 14 tackles each, were joined in the starting lineup by Bok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, centres Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Robert du Preez, flank Jono Ross, lock Lood de Jager and tighthead prop Coenie Oosthuizen. Meanwhile, Cobus Wiese was a substitute and played 31 minutes for Sale.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg continued his excellent recent form for London Irish as the centre came off the bench at half time and dotted down for his fourth try in the last three games. He also made four carries and two linebreaks. Former Vodacom Bulls prop Marcel van der Merwe started and played 44 minutes for London Irish.

– Bristol Bears ran in four tries as they beat Wasps at Ashton Gate to continue their impressive recent form.

Nizaam Carr and hooker Michael van Vuuren were both on the bench for Wasps.

– Tyrone Green ended a scoreless run of nine games to help Harlequins beat Worcester Warriors at Sixways for the first time in six years.

Starting at fullback, Green made a massive 136 metres from 21 carries, beat 10 defenders and made one clean break. Andre Esterhuizen, captain Stephan Lewies and loosehead prop Simon Kerrod all started for Quins. Esterhuizen made 14 carries and beat eight defenders, while Lewies made 11 tackles, won four lineouts and poached one lineout. Props Wilco Louw and Jordan Els were on the bench.

Scrumhalf Gareth Simpson started for Worcester and made 10 tackles and beat two defenders.

– Jasper Wiese and Hanro Liebenberg scored a try each for Leicester Tigers in their come-from-behind 35-23 victory over Gloucester this past Saturday.

Wiese scored from a quick-tap penalty taken five metres from Gloucester’s tryline in the first half, while Liebenberg reached over from short range in the second half. The two made 13 tackles and 28 carries between them.

Ruan Ackermann started at No 8 for Gloucester and put in a good performance, with 19 carries for 42m, six tackles and two defenders beaten.

– Bath ended a three-match winless run by beating Newcastle Falcons 30-25 after trailing 18-11 at half time. Hooker Jacques du Toit started for Bath, while Newcastle had scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and prop Richard Palframan on the bench.

– Sunday’s only Premiership match was a thriller between Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs, which Exeter won 34-31 thanks to a last-minute penalty.

Despite ending up on the losing side, Juarno Augustus excelled for Northampton. The No 8 scored a try in the first half, made 76m, six carries, six tackles and beat two defenders. Springbok wing Courtnall Skosan also started for Northampton.

Exeter had lock Jannes Kirsten in their starting lineup.

TOP 14

– Wiaan Liebenberg scored the winning try for La Rochelle to propel them to a 22-16 away victory over Pau on Saturday. The win was seventh-placed La Rochelle’s second in a row, while Pau’s rollecoaster season continued after winning last weekend.

Along with the try, Liebenberg, who announced he will be retiring from rugby at the end of the season, made 37m, nine tackles, 13 carries and eight tackle-breaks. Raymond Rhule started at outside centre for La Rochelle and made 45m, five tackles, seven passes and 13 carries.

– Toulon were brought back down to earth as their run of two back-to-back wins was ended in a 17-10 loss to 10th-placed Brive on Saturday.

Cheslin Kolbe played the full 80 minutes for Toulon and made 70m with ball in hand and picked up an assist for his team’s only try of the match.

– Second-placed Montpellier stretched their unbeaten run to five games after claiming a 30-3 win over Stade Francais.

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, centre Jan Serfontein and lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg all started for Montpellier. Reinach played 44 minutes before he was replaced, while the latter two Springboks completed the full 80 minutes.

Japan League One

– Kwagga Smith scored a try as his Shizuoka Blue Revs team bounced back from two defeats with a 34-27 win over Green Rockets.

– Willie le Roux and Pieter-Steph du Toit went head to head with Springbok teammate Malcolm Marx when Kubota Spears hosted Toyota Verblitz on Saturday.

Le Roux and Du Toit both started for Verblitz, who also had experienced flyhalf Lionel Cronje in their XV, while Marx was joined by lock Ruan Botha and capped Japan internationals Lappies Labuschagne and Gerhard van den Heever in the Spears lineup.

It was Marx who claimed bragging rights as the hooker scored a second-half brace of tries to help Spears claim a 41-20 victory. Cronje scored two penalties, a conversion and an intercept try for Verblitz.

– Springbok centre Jesse Kriel and former Stormers flank Kobus van Dyk both started for Canon Eagles in their 30-12 victory over Black Rams. SP Marais was on the bench for Eagles.

Photo: Ken Ishii/Getty Images

Post by

Dylan Jack