SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the past weekend's French Top 14 matches, which involved SA players.
– Toulouse registered a 35-6 victory against Castres in an ill-tempered match, which produced two yellow cards and a red. Former Sharks scrumhalf Rory Kockott was in the midst of it all, with two first-half penalties for the losers, before he was sin binned in the 75th minute.
– In another ill-disciplined affair, Clermont beat Brive 21-6, with both teams yellow-carded twice. Ex-EP Kings prop Kevin Buys started for Brive and flyhalf Riaan Swanepoel came off the bench in the 58th minute. Former SA U20 lock Peet Marais joined them from the 75th and prop Daniel Kotze came on as a substitute for Clermont at the end.
– Former SA Sevens player Robert Ebersohn again delivered a polished performance for Montpellier in their 20-17 win over Grenoble. Wing Gio Aplon, scrumhalf Charl McLeod and lock Hendrik Roodt were named in Grenoble’s run-on side, but it was substitute prop Albertus Buckle who scored a try for the losers. Roodt was yellow-carded in the 70th minute.
– Toulon scored nine tries to thrash La Rochelle 60-19. Ex-Lions flank Gerhard Vosloo and scrumhalf Michael Claassens started for the champions, while ex-Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant and lock Jacobus Grobler were in La Rochelle’s starting XV. Grant converted two of their three tries. Hookers Craig Burden and Erasmus van Vuuren remained seated on their respective benches.
– Ex-Bulls scrumhalf Heini Adams and lock Jandré Marais started for Bordeaux as they eased past Racing Métro 30-21. Lock Francois van der Merwe and scrumhalf Antonie Claassen secured starting berths for Racing, while Johan Goosen made an appearance off the bench in the 62nd minute and kicked a conversion in the 78th. Prop Brian Mujati wasn’t used as a replacement.
– Fullback Scott Spedding scored a brace for Bayonne, who defeated Oyonnax 38-12. Prop Gert Muller also started for the winners, while prop JC Janse van Rensburg played from the 58th minute. Hooker Jody Jenneker and prop Ruaan du Preez started for Oyonnax, former Cheetahs flyhalf Riaan Smit came on in the 66th minute and Pedrie Wannenburg failed to make an appearance.
– A try each from ex-Bok scrumhalf Ricky Januarie and former Stormers hooker Deon Fourie wasn’t enough for Lyon, who slumped to a narrow 23-20 loss to Stade Français. While Januarie started, Fourie and flank Frans Vijoen came on in the 27th and 79th minutes respectively. Lock Gerhard Mostert and prop Heinke van der Merwe were on Stade’s run-on list, while former Sharks centre Meyer Bosman made the match-day squad.
Photo: Gaizka Iroz/AFP Photo
