Saffas Abroad: Duhan, Jaco, Nic light up PRO14

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SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the South African players who featured for their respective clubs in the PRO14 this past weekend.

– Ulster, featuring wing Louis Ludik and No 8 Marcell Coetzee, slumped to an agonising 26-20 defeat by Connacht. Ludik played a full 80-minute game and Coetzee was on the field until the 46th minute before being replaced.

– Munster suffered an agonising 27-25 loss against bitter rivals Leinster in a thrilling encounter in Dublin. Centre Damian de Allende and lock RG Snyman made their debuts for Munster, but Snyman sustained an ankle injury in the seventh minute and was replaced by countryman Jean Kleyn. No 8 CJ Stander and flank Chris Cloete also featured for Munster. De Allende made 29 run metres over seven carries, five tackles and five passes in his first game for his new team.

– Edinburgh beat the Glasgow Warriors 30-15 to retain the 1872 Cup for the third season in a row. The win also secures Edinburgh a place in the semi-finals, which will take place in two weeks’ time. Oli Kebble started for the Warriors, who are in third position in the Conference A standings. Up front, Edinburgh had WP Nel, Michael Willems and Pierre Schoeman on duty. But it was Edinburgh’s South African backs who did the most damage. Wing Duhan van der Merwe made 65 run metres over 80 minutes, scrumhalf Nic Groom scored two tries and made 17 run metres in the 62 minutes he was on the field, and flyhalf Jaco van der Walt kicked 15 points via three penalties and as many conversions. Van der Walt was also named the official Player of the Match.


– The Dragons, with prop Brok Harris in their ranks, erased a 10-point deficit to hold the Ospreys to an exciting 20-20 draw. Tighthead prop Tom Botha started for Ospreys, who remain at the bottom of the Conference A standings.

– Zebre stunned hosts Benneton Treviso with a remarkably dogged performance that earned them a 17-13 win over their arch-rivals. Scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenhage and No 8 Braam Steyn turned out for Treviso, while Zebre had flank Johan Meyer in their run-on lineup. Zebre are sixth in Conference A and Treviso fifth in Conference B.

– The Scarlets thumped the Cadiff Blues 32-12 in their Welsh derby. The win keeps Scarlets in the hunt for a playoff berth. No 8 Uzair Cassiem and prop Werner Kruger turned out for the Scarlets.

Photo: Edinburgh Rugby/Twitter

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