SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend's English Premiership, Celtic Pro12 and French Top 14 matches that involved South African players.
ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP
– Bok flank Francois Louw scored one of Bath's three tries as they played to a thrilling 27-27 draw against Leicester.
– London Wasps clinched a 19-16 victory over the Exeter Chiefs with a late drop goal. Former Cheetahs loose forward Ashley Johnson started for the Londoners.
– Scrumhalf Neil de Kock, lock Alistair Hargreaves and hooker Schalk Brits started for Saracens against Gloucester. De Kock was their stand-out player once again, adding a try to his all-round performance.
CELTIC PRO12
– Jacobie Adriaanse (prop) and Johan Snyman (lock) were named on the bench for the Scarlets in their 17-12 loss against the Ospreys.
– Bok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar played a vital role in Ulster's 29-19 win over Munster at Ravenhill, with five penalties and two conversions to his name. Flank Robbie Diack captained the winning side. Prop BJ Botha came off the bench for Munster in the 55th minute.
– Leinster beat rivals Connacht 16-8 in Galway, with Bok and former Bulls player Zane Kirchner uncharacteristically playing wing instead of fullback.
– Zebre narrowly beat their Italian rivals Treviso 14-12 with flank Andries van Schalkwyk in the winners' starting XV and lock Corniel van Zyl in the losing side's run-on team.
FRENCH TOP 14
– Bok scrumhalf Jano Vermaak and prop Schalk Ferreira started for Toulouse against Clermont, who had flank Gerhard Vosloo in their team. Toulouse won 19-12 as Gurthrö Steenkamp (prop) and Chiliboy Ralepelle (hooker) came on in the 58th minute.
– Brive stunned Montpellier 15-9 to move five points clear of the relegation zone. Riaan Swanepoel wore the No 10 jersey for Brive with prop Kevin Buys coming on in the 53rd minute, only to be yellow-carded in the 67th.
– Wing Wandile Mjekevu returned to Perpignan's starting line-up after an injury when they faced Bayonne, winning 20-8. Scott Spedding was at fullback for Bayonne.
– Stade Français erased a six-point deficit to beat Biarritz 18-6, with lock Gerrit Mostert scoring a try. Bok flyhalf Morné Steyn gave up kicking duties to France scrumhalf Julien Dupuy and was subsequently replaced after 51 minutes. Prop Heinke van der Merwe and hooker Michael van Vuuren joined their team-mates in the 51st and 66th minutes. Ex-Stormer fullback Joe Pietersen entered the match as early as the 34th minute for Biarritz.
– Oyonnax kept Racing Métro scoreless with a 6-0 victory. Prop Riaan du Preez came off the bench for the victorious team in the 70th minute, while Bok lock Juandré Kruger started for Racing and Brian Mujati joined in the 75th.
– In possibly the upset of the season, Grenoble defeated Toulon 21-22 on home soil, thus completing the double over the European champions who had Boks Bakkies Botha (lock) and Juan Smith (flank) in their team. Lock Hendrik Roodt played for Grenoble from the 53rd minute.
– Former Bok and Bulls loose forward Pedrie Wannenburg was in Castres' starting line-up against Bordeaux, securing a 15-9 win. Ex-Bulls scrumhalf Heini Adams started for the losing side with lock Juandré Marais coming on in the 50th minute.
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
