Johnson hat-trick settles derby

SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend's English Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup matches, which involved South African players. 

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP

– Flank Ashley Johnson delivered a standout performance in London Wasps' 71-7 shellacking of London Welsh. Wasps scored 11 tries and Johnson, who was the star of the show, bagged a hat-trick. Replacement flank Ben Pienaar came off the wood in the second half to grab the Dragons' only five-pointer of the match.

– Former Stormers flank Don Armand featured in the Exeter Chiefs' stunning 24-18 victory over the table-topping Northampton Saints. The result moved Chiefs up to second on the log, just two points behind Saints.

– Harlequins erased a 12-point deficit to defeat Gloucester 22-15 in Kingsholm. Flyhalf Tim Swiel was an unused substitute in Quins' match-day squad. The victory moved the winners into the top half of the table.

– Locks Alistair Hargreaves and Mourtiz Botha played in Saracens' 21-21 draw with the Leicester Tigers. Neither side was able to breach the others' defence and could only muster seven penalties apiece. Prop Petrus du Plessis and lock Sebastian de Chaves were among the reserves for Sarries and Leicester respectively.

ANGLO-WELSH CUP

– The Newport Gwent Dragons triumphed 51-35 in an entertaining match against the Neath-Swansea Ospreys. Lock Rynier Bernardo and centre Hanno Dirksen turned out for Ospreys with the latter going over for their first try, but it was skipper Ligtoring Landman and his Dragons charges who weathered the Ospreys' second-half onslaught to clinch the match. Ex-Stormers stalwart Brok Harris made his debut for the Dragons in a winning cause.

Photo: Ben Hoskins/Getty Images 

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Mariette Adams