SARugbymag.co.za looks back at the South African players who featured for their respective clubs in the 11th round of the 2020-21 French Top 14 season.
– Montpellier, featuring lock Paul Willemse, No 8 Jacques du Plessis and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach in their starting lineup and lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg and hooker Bismarck du Plessis on their bench, clinched a 21-15 upset win over hosts Clermont. Flank Jaco van Tonder and South African-born fullback Kotaro Matsushima played for Clermont.
– Jandre Marais and Joseph Dweba along with their Bordeaux teammates slumped to an agonising 17-12 defeat by Racing 92 at home. The sides were level at 12-12 heading into the last five minutes, but Racing scored a late try to secure victory at the death.
– Retief Marais played flank for Brive, who claimed a 15-6 win over bottom feeders Agen. No 8 Jeremy Jordaan was used as a replacement by Agen.
– Springbok duo Cheslin Kolbe and Rynhardt Elstadt were in the Toulouse side that withstood a late charge to seal a 24-20 victory against Bayonne. The win moves Toulouse within two log points of La Rochelle at the top of the table.
– Lock Ryno Pieterse crashed over for the match-defining try that lifted Castres to a 17-13 win over Pau. The try-scorer featured alongside compatriots Rory Kockott and Dan Kotze for the winners.
– Stade Français, with flank Gerbrandt Grobler and scrumhalf James Hall in their ranks, pulled off the upset of the weekend when they took down Toulon 24-23 courtesy of a late drop goal. Toulon, who had Eben Etzebeth at lock, are in fourth position on the log, while Stade jumped two spots from seventh to fifth.
Photo: Bastien Arberet/PhotoSports65
