Saffas Abroad: Bok giant into Cup semis
15/04/2024 06:54
Andre Esterhuizen helped Harlequins secure a first-ever Champions Cup semi-final, while Jacques Nienaber’s Leinster dethroned the defending champions.
Champions Cup:
– Tyrone Green capped a man-of-the-match performance with the winning try for Harlequins in a thrilling 42-41 victory over Bordeaux. The fullback dotted down in the corner in the 71st minute as Harlequins progressed to their first Champions Cup semi-final. Andre Esterhuizen assisted one of Harlequins’ tries in the first half, while captain Stephan Lewies turned in a strong shift alongside second row partner Irne Herbst. Bordeaux came close to snatching a comeback victory, thanks to an excellent cameo from Madosh Tambwe, who scored a quickfire brace of tries from the bench.
– Jacques Nienaber‘s Leinster produced their best performance of the season to dethrone two-time defending champions La Rochelle with a 40-13 win in Dublin, in a rematch of last year’s final. Lock Jason Jenkins started for Leinster and produced a strong 50 minutes on the park. Dillyn Leyds played 40 minutes at fullback for La Rochelle.
Challenge Cup:
– Argentina fullback Santiago Carreras kicked six penalties as he led Gloucester Rugby to a 23-13 win over Ospreys in Friday’s quarter-final. Ruan Ackermann started for Gloucester, who locked in a home semi-final against Italian side Benetton. Tighthead prop Tom Botha started for Ospreys.
– Clermontran Ulster ragged in the second-half of their Challenge Cup quarter-final, defeating the Irish province 53-14, setting up a semi-final against the Sharks in London. Steven Kitshoff and Rob Herring both started for Ulster.
– Fullback Rhyno Smith scored a try as Benetton secured a place in the Challenge Cup semi-finals for the second time in a row by beating Irish province Connacht 39-24. Former Bulls lock Eli Snyman was on the bench for Benetton.
Japan League One:
– Rohan Janse van Rensburg continued his excellent run of form since moving to Japan with a try in Canon Eagles’ 52-33 win against Kintetsu Liners. Janse van Rensburg was joined by former Stormers flank Kobus van Dyk in the Eagles’ starting lineup, while utility back SP Marais played off the bench.
– Wild Knights shrugged off the absence of star centre Damian de Allende to thrash struggling Black Rams 50-26, continuing their 13-game unbeaten run this season. Lood de Jager started for the Knights, who lead the league by nine points.
– Shizuoka Blue Revs scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to seal a 31-31 draw with defending champions Kubota Spears. Ruan Botha and David Bulbring formed the second row for Frans Ludeke‘s Spears, who had JD Schickerling and Rikus Pretorius on the bench. The result saw the eighth-placed Spears lose further ground on the top four, as they trail fourth-placed Canon Eagles by 14 points.
– Suntory Sungoliath cruised to the 60-10 win against Honda Heat, climbing up to third place on the table. Franco Mostert started for Honda Head, who currently sit second from bottom.
– A late flurry of points from All Blacks flyhalf Beauden Barrett helped Toyota Verblitz keep their top four hopes alive 34-20 win against Mitsubishi Dynaboars. Pieter-Steph du Toit started for Verblitz, while former Bulls lock Walt Steenkamp scored a try for the Dynaboars.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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