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 centre Wynand Olivier in their lineup, let slip a 17-6 lead as they went down 37-22 to Bath. The loss was Worcester's 12th consecutive at the Rec.
– Saracens ground out a 27-12 win against rivals the Northampton Saints to maintain their perfect start to the season. Captain Brad Barritt, Schalk Burger, Michael Rhodes and Petrus du Plessis all started for Sarries, with Burger picking up Man of the Match honours. Nic Groom played for the Saints from the 63rd minute.
– Flyhalf Tim Swiel's 10-point haul via two conversions and as many penalties were not enough for Harlequins, who slumped to a 36-25 loss at the hands of the Exeter Chiefs. Ex-Stormers flank Don Armand was on duty for the winners.
– Replacement hooker Ashley Johnson came on at the start of the second half and scored a brace of tries as Wasps trounced Bristol 70-22 in Coventry. Wasps crossed for a total of 10 tries, while conceding three in return.
– The Leicester Tigers, featuring JP Pietersen on the wing, erased a 10-point deficit to edge the Newcastle Falcons 14-13 at Kingston Park.
CELTIC PRO12
– No 8 Josh Strauss and his Glasgow Warriors teammates suffered a 23-19 loss against the Cardiff Blues at Arms Park. Lock George Earle was in unbeaten Cardiff's run-on XV.
– Wing Louis Ludik, scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, No 8 Robbie Diack, Franco van der Merwe and hooker Rob Herring were all part of the Ulster side that beat the battling Welsh province Scarlets 19-8. Ludik starred for the winners with a couple of line breaks and a first-half try. Former Bulls duo David Bulbring and Werner Kruger did service for Scarlets.
– Zane Kirchner's Leinster picked up a 33-20 bonus-point win over WP Nel's Edinburgh at Murrayfield. Result notwithstanding, the match served as Nel's 100th appearance for Edinburgh since joining the club in 2012.
– Munster snatched a 20-16 trump against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade. Eighthman CJ Stander and lock Jean Kleyn featured for the winners, with the latter scoring a crucial try in the first half. Fullback Carl Meyer, wing Pat Howard, scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, lock Ligtoring Landman and prop Brok Harris all turned out for the Dragons.
– The Ospreys cruised to an emphatic nine-try 64-10 win over Treviso in Swansea. Back rower Braam Steyn was on Treviso's bench and played from the 41st minute.
– The match between Zebre and Connacht was called off due to bad weather.
FRENCH TOP 14
– Lyon beat Toulouse 25-20 for the first time in 62 years. Prop Maks van Dyk was in the Toulouse squad that has now lost three matches in a row. Deon Fourie and Jacques-Louis Potgieter represented Lyon.
– Paul Hauman and Wilhelm Steenkamp formed part of the Brive side that ended La Rochelle's unbeaten streak with a thrilling 29-28 win. Backs Ricky Januarie and Paul Jordaan started for La Rochelle.
– Meyer Bosman played flyhalf and kicked two penalties for Stade Français, but his effort was in vain as they lost 23-6 to Pau. Flank Jono Ross and front rowers Heinke van der Merwe and Craig Burden played alongside Bosman.
– Montpellier with Demetri Catrakilis, Wiaan Liebenberg, Jannie du Plessis, Arno van Wyk, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg and Frans Steyn in their ranks were 21-9 victors against Bayonne. Catrakilis (18) and Steyn (three) combined for all Montpellier's points, while flyhalf Willie du Plessis nailed Bayonne's three penalty goals.
– Clermont, with lock Flip van der Merwe among their reserves, smashed Bordeaux 40-16. The winners outscored lock Jandré Marais's Bordeaux five tries to one.
– Scrumhalf Rory Kockott and hooker Jody Jenneker bagged a try apiece as Castres thumped Grenoble 46-9. Centre Robert Ebersohn and prop Dan Kotzé also represented the winner. Prop Rossouw de Klerk was on duty for Grenoble.
– Racing continued their recent dominance over arch-rivals Toulon with a 41-30 win in their highly anticipated clash in Paris. The defending champions outscored the troubled Toulon six tries to three. Locks Bernard le Roux and Francois van der Merwe and loose forward Antonie Claassen turned out for Racing. Toulon had flank Aidon Davis and prop Marcel van der Merwe in their team.
Photo: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
