Saffas Overseas: Polly scores a cracker

The European leagues returned to full motion following the Six Nations and there have been blended fortunes for the Springboks as Handre Pollard scored, however Cheslin Kolbe picked up an harm.

PREMIERSHIP
– Handre Pollard produced one other elegant show at flyhalf to information Leicester Tigers to a fifth-straight win as they beat Bristol Bears 46-24 to considerably enhance their playoff hopes. Pollard missed simply one in every of his 5 conversion attemps, slotted two penalties and grabbed a sensational second-half strive for a haul of 19 factors. Free forwards Jasper Wiese and Hanro Liebenberg additionally began for Leicester, whereas lock Eli Snyman was on the bench.

It needed to be completed… pic.twitter.com/2UYKK3Gl8j

— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) March 26, 2023

– League leaders Saracens got here out on high at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they beat Harlequins 36-24 to proceed their march in the direction of the semi-finals. Ivan van Zyl began for Saracens, who welcomed a bunch of England internationals again into their lineup. Andre Esterhuizen led the way in which for Harlequins’ South African contingent, together with locks Irne Herbst and Stephan Lewies and tighthead prop Wilco Louw. Defeat left Harlequins 10 factors exterior the highest 4.

– Juarno Augustus scored a superb strive however his Northampton Saints facet fell to a 37-22 loss to playoff-chasing London Irish. Alongside together with his first-half strive, Augustus additionally made 10 tackles, 9 carries and beat 4 defenders. London Irish have been impressed by one other strong efficiency from centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who made 36 metres from 12 carries, 9 passes, beat one defender and picked up a strive help.

Saints strike @SaintsRugby again within the sport because of this Juarno Augustus strive.

Watch dwell on @btsportrugby #GallagherPrem | #LIRvNOR pic.twitter.com/0DCZdZzFTq

— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) March 25, 2023

– Johan van Graan’s Bathtub picked up a primary win of 2023 as they defeated Exeter Chiefs 36-19 in a south west derby on Sunday afternoon. Free ahead Chris Cloete, who was joined by GJ van Velze in Bathtub’s pack, made 12 tackles and gained two turnover for his facet. Scrumhalf Louis Schreuder got here off the bench for Bathtub. Exeter, who have been with out Jacques Vermeulen and Jannes Kirsten because of harm, had former Cheetahs flank Aidon Davis amongst their substitutes.

TOP 14
– League leaders Toulouse slipped up for the second time in 5 weeks after falling to a 27-17 loss away to Eleventh-placed Castres. Springbok free ahead Rynhardt Elstadt began for Toulouse, whereas lock Ryno Pieterse was in motion for Castres.

– Cobus Reinach scored an important strive as Montpellier fought to a 23-22 away derby win over relegation-threatened Perpignan for his or her second victory in a row. Reinach was joined by fellow Springboks Nico Janse van Rensburg and centre Jan Serfontein in Montpellier’s beginning lineup. Fullback Tristan Tedder kicked two conversions and a penalty for Perpignan, who dropped again into the underside two.

– There was pleasure and heartbreak for Cheslin Kolbe as Toulon grabbed their fourth win from 5 video games by beating Lyon 27-23 away from house. Kolbe scored a first-half strive however then needed to be helped from the sector after struggling an ankle harm. Fellow Springbok Arno Botha additionally scored at strive at No 8 for Lyon.

– Backside of the desk Brive completed the 38-10 defeat at Clermont with 13 males after Fijian centre Setareki Bituniyata and South African tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe have been proven purple playing cards within the ultimate 10 minutes.

– Pau bounced again from a run of three consecutive losses with a 30-20 win over Bayonne. Uzair Cassiem scored a first-half strive for Bayonne, who suffered their second consecutive defeat.

– La Rochelle climbed into second place by outplaying Bordeaux in a 36-6 away victory, their fourth win in a row. Raymond Rhule began at exterior centre for La Rochelle, whereas lock Jandre Marais began for Bordeaux.

– Racing 92 shrugged off a first-half purple card to assert a 17-13 win of their Parisian derby in opposition to Stade Francais. Trevor Nyakane began at tighthead prop, whereas fellow Springbok Warrick Gelant returned from harm for Racing from the bench. Stade had Jeremy Ward at exterior centre and scrumhalf James Corridor on the bench.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE
– The South Africans placed on a present with six of Yokohama Canon Eagles’ 10 tries of their demolition of Kintetsu Liners being claimed by gamers born within the Republic, because the guests strolled to a simple 52-point victory in Osaka. Free ahead Kobus van Dyk and fullback SP Marais scored two tries every, whereas Springboks Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel additionally bought in on the motion with a strive every in the direction of the top of the match.

– A strive from Springbok lock Lood de Jager helped Panasonic Wild Knight see off Toyota Verblitz in a troublesome 19-10 away win. De Jager, who scored the Wild Knights’ solely strive from a ruck near the Toyota goalline, was later sin-binned for interfering with the ball at a ruck from an offside place, as Verblitz rallied after conceding a 13-point lead in as many minutes initially of the sport. Damian de Allende additionally began for Wild Knights, whereas Pieter-Steph du Toit and Willie le Roux performed for Verblitz.

– Shizuoka Blue Revs, once more with out captain Kwagga Smith because of harm, went back-to-back within the league by punishing a 14-man Dynaboars in a 30-20 win. Former Bulls again Clinton Swart scored a strive, conversion and a penalty for Blue Revs. Lock Walt Steenkamp scored for the Dynaboars.

– Kubota Spears moved to inside a win of securing a semi-final berth after holding off a decided problem from Kobelco Kobe Steelers. Malcolm Marx was joined by lock Ruan Botha and fullback Gerhard van den Heever in Kubota’s beginning lineup, whereas David Bulbring and centre Rikus Pretorius have been on the bench. Former Stormers lock JD Schickerling began for Kobe Steelers.

Picture: Dave Wainwright for Malcolm Couzens/Getty Pictures

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