Springboks Kurt-Lee Arendse and Faf de Klerk each made a try-scoring start to the Japan League One season on Sunday.
English Premiership:
– Three South Africans featured for Johann van Graan’s Bath in their 40-15 win against Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Saturday. Springbok prop Thomas du Toit and former Stormers No 8 Jaco Coetzee played off the bench, while tighthead Francois van Wyk started for the Premiership leaders. For Newcastle, Sebastian de Chaves scrummed down at lock, while former Sharks loose forward Philip van der Walt made an appearance off the bench.
Charlie Ewels locks up @BathRugby‘s bonus point 🔒
What a carry from the second row 🦒
Watch live on @rugbyontnt 📺#GallagherPrem | #NEWvBAT pic.twitter.com/WQPjkl614t
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 21, 2024
– Former Lions flanker Ruan Ackermann played the full 80 at No 8 for Gloucester in their 14-0 win against Harlequins at the Kingsholm Stadium. Prop Simon Kerrod and fullback Tyrone Green started for Quins, while lock Irne Herbst came on in the second half.
😱 @Gareth_Anscombe that is ridiculous!
Pinpoint passing to send Josh Hathaway over the whitewash 🎯
Watch live on @rugbyontnt 📺#GallagherPrem | #GLOvHAR pic.twitter.com/lUdgpEBF6a
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 20, 2024
– Benhard Janse van Rensburg dotted down for Bristol Bears in a massive 54-24 win against Leicester Tigers. Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard and former Vodacom Bulls flanker Hanro Liebenberg started for the Tigers.
END. TO. END.
How did @BristolBears manage this!?
Watch live on @rugbyontnt 📺#GallagherPrem | #LEIvBRI pic.twitter.com/Wiz2xd5i1l
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 21, 2024
– Four South Africans featured for Sale Sharks in a 28-10 win against Exeter Chiefs at the Salford Community Stadium. Lock Ernst van Rhyn was joined by bruisers Jean-Luc and Dan du Preez in the back row, while Rob du Preez started at flyhalf, scoring six points from the tee. Prop Kwenzo Blose and lock Jacques Vermeulen featured off the bench for Exeter.
Jonny Hill dots down for @SaleSharksRugby‘s bonus point score 👏
Watch live on @rugbyontnt 📺#GallagherPrem | #SALvEXE pic.twitter.com/cHzX3xwc6X
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 21, 2024
Japan League One:
– Kurt-Lee Arendse starred on his Japanese League One debut, scoring in the Mitsubishi Dynaboars’ 31-19 win against the Urayasu D-Rocks. Arendse started at fullback, with former Vodacom Bulls team mate Walt Steenkamp starting at lock. Lourens Erasmus and Springbok No 8 Jasper Wiese featured for the D-Rocks.
Kurt-Lee Arendse scoring his first #NTTリーグワン try of the season #SaffasAbroad #rugbyjp pic.twitter.com/p4bOv3Bes9
— Darren (@SaffasRugby) December 22, 2024
– Franco Mostert started for the Honda Heat in their 23-21 win against the Black Rams in Suzuka. Jan Hendrik Swanepoel partnered Mostert at lock off the bench.
– Kwagga Smith captained the Shizuoka Blue Revs to a 15-13 win against Kobe Steel at the Yamaha Stadium in Iwata. Smith started alongside former Lions centre Sylvian Mahuza and winger Damian Markus.
– Damian de Allende’s Wild Knights got the better of Springbok team mate Cheslin Kolbe’s Suntory Sungoliath, winning 33-12 in Tokyo.
– Five South Africans played for Kubota Spears in their 30-27 win against Toyota Verblitz at the Edogawa Stadium in Tokyo. Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx was joined in the pack by lock duo Merwe Olivier and David Bullbring as well as flanker Tyler Paul. Former Stormers centre Rikus Pretorius started in midfield for the Spears.
– 2019 and 2023 World Cup winners Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel were front and centre for the Cannon Eagles in their 28-21 loss to the Toshiba Brave Lupus. De Klerk crossed the whitewash for the hosts in the first quarter.
Top 14:
– Former Sharks midfielder Rohan Janse van Rensburg was on deck as Bordeaux beat Castres 13-3 in the Top 14. Tighthead Carlu Sadie started for Bordeaux.
– Montpellier edged Racing 92 21-17 to go above their opponents into 8th place on the table with 35-Test Springbok centre Jan Serfontein starting, and Bok No 9 Cobus Reinach making an impact off the bench for the hosts. Former Stormers prop Lee-Marvin Mazibuko was a replacement for Racing.
– Former Sharks duo JJ van der Mescht and Jeremy Ward both started in Stade Francais’ 24-7 win against Perpignan in Paris. James Hall featured as a replacement halfback for Perpignan.
Photo: Koki Nagahama/Getty Images
