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 Worcester Warriors, with Dean Hammond on left wing and Nic Schonert at tighthead prop, suffered a 36-14 defeat at the hands of Harlequins at The Stoop. Former Bulls duo Dewald Potgieter and Wynand Olivier were on the Warriors' bench, while compatriot Tim Swiel was a Harlequins substitute.
– Saracens continued their dominance in the league with an easy 24-10 win over the Leicester Tigers at Allianz Park. Bok winger JP Pietersen started for the Tigers, as did Schalk Burger, Brad Barritt and Michael Rhodes for the all-conquering Sarries. Front rowers Schalk Brits and Petrus du Plessis sat on the winners' bench.
– Hooker Ashley Johnson and his Wasps teammates hammered the Newcastle Falcons 31-6 at the Ricoh Arena. The result keeps Wasps in second position on the log, one point adrift of Saracens.
– The Sale Sharks, with Brian Mujati in their match 23, cruised to a 31-13 victory against Bristol at Ashton Gate on Sunday. Mujati came off the bench in the 53rd minute in what was his 100th Premiership appearance.
CELTIC PRO12
– A late drop goal earned Munster a come-from-behind 15-14 win over rivals Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium. Rob Herring led Ulster, who also had Ruan Pienaar, Robbie Diack, Franco van der Merwe and Wiehahn Herbst in their starting lineup. Jaco Taute did service for Munster and continued his rich try-scoring form with another five-pointer. Munster moved up to fourth and Ulster dropped to fifth on the log.
– Scarlets won the Welsh derby against the Cardiff Blues 26-15 at Arms Park. Lock George Earle earned a starting berth for the Blues. Wing DTH van der Merwe, who scored a try, lock David Bulbring and prop Werner Kruger were on duty for Scarlets. The bonus-point victory lifted the winners to sixth in the standings.
– Flank Josh Strauss's Glasgow Warriors defeated No 8 Braam Steyn's Treviso 31-14 at Scotstoun. The win keeps the Warriors in third position on the log, while Treviso remains rooted to the foot of the standings.
– Loose forwards Andries van Schalkwyk, Johan Meyer and Derick Minnie and lock Quintin Geldenhuys were in the Zebre team that stunned Edinburgh 19-14 at Murrayfield. The result was Zebre's first win of the season. Prop Allan Dell and flank Cornell du Preez featured for Edinburgh.
– Wing Pat Howard, scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, lock Ligtoring Landman and prop Brok Harris were part of the Newport Gwent Dragons outfit who went down 35-17 against the Ospreys. The Dragons are 10th on the log with only one win from seven games to date.
– Connacht, with Quinn Roux at No 4 lock, lost 24-13 against table-toppers Leinster at RDS Arena. Leinster are level on points with Ospreys and the Glasgow Warriors, but have one more win than the rest.
FRENCH TOP 14
– A late converted try handed Toulouse a 24-20 win over hosts Pau. Prop Maks van Dyk was listed on the bench for Toulouse, who rose to fifth in the standings.
– Toulon romped to a six-try 42-12 win over the embattled Grenoble at the Stade Félix Mayol on Saturday. Duane Vermeulen, Aidon Davis and Marcel van der Merwe represented Toulon. Gio Aplon, Rossouw de Klerk and Hendrik Roodt were in the Grenoble team. Toulon are second on the table and their victims 13th.
– Frans Steyn's canon boot laid the foundation for Montpellier's 12-11 win against La Rochelle. Steyn, who a started alongside lock Jacques du Plessis, landed three of Montpellier's four penalty goals. Scrumhalf Ricky Januarie returned to La Rochelle's starting XV from suspension.
– Morné Steyn replicated Frans's kicking performance during Stade Français' 25-19 win against Lyon. Steyn slotted four penalties and a conversion for a 14-point haul before he was substituted in the 60th minute. Eighthman Jono Ross, flank Willem Alberts and prop Heinke van der Merwe featured alongside Steyn for Stade. Albertus Buckle, Deon Fourie and Jacques-Louis Potgieter turned out for Lyon.
– Fullback Johan Goosen and lock Francois van der Merwe played for Racing, who beat Bayonne 16-3. Replacement flyhalf Willie du Plessis kicked a second-half penalty to get Bayonne on the board.
– Captain Jandré Marais' Bordeaux slumped to a 33-27 loss at the hands of Castres. The win, however, was not enough to lift Castres into the top half of the table. Centre Robert Ebersohn, scrumhalf Rory Kockott, prop Dan Kotzé and hooker Jody Jenneker were on duty for the winners. Prop Steven Kitshoff was seated on Bordeaux's bench.
– Clermont, featuring lock Flip van der Merwe and fullback Scott Spedding, extended their lead at the top of the standings with a convincing 40-16 bonus-point win against Brive. No 8 Petrus Hauman represented hosts Brive, who are 10th on the log.
Photo: Pascal Gayot/Getty Images
