In a show of force and finesse, Malcolm Marx along with his South African comrades steered the Kubota Spears to a nail-biting 26-24 victory, securing their spot in the Japan Rugby League One final. This weekend was a standout for South African talent making waves across international waters in both Japan and Europe.
Over in the French Top 14, James Hall played a crucial part in Perpignan's slender 29-27 victory over Castres, proving pivotal at scrumhalf. Bayonne, despite a tough 38-21 loss to Stade Français, saw Herschel Jantjies, the former Stormers scrumhalf, dash through for a second-half try. Meanwhile, Sikhumbuzo Notshe made a memorable, albeit in a heavy 71-15 defeat to La Rochelle, by scoring a try for Montauban. In another close encounter, Tiaan Jacobs of Bordeaux Bègles battled it out in the second row in their 27-22 defeat to Toulon.
The action in the English Premiership was just as intense. Bristol Bears, featuring centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg, just scraped past Bath with a 21-19 win at Ashton Gate. Bath’s Springbok prop, Thomas du Toit, wasn't just there to make up numbers, as he bulldozed his way across the line for a try. Ivan van Zyl provided scrumhalf support in Saracens' 26-12 victory over the Harlequins, while Gloucester saw James Venter and Dian Bleuler put up a strong fight in their 36-32 defeat to the Northampton Saints. The high-scoring affair between Sale Sharks and the Newcastle Red Bulls ended 45-42, with Ernst van Rhyn and Hyron Andrews making notable appearances for the Sharks.
Back in Japan, the League One semi-finals were a showcase of South African talent. In one match, Cheslin Kolbe’s 13 points weren’t enough for Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, who fell 69-23 to the Kobe Steelers. The other semi-final was a close affair with nine South Africans on the field, where Malcolm Marx and his team edged past the Saitama Wild Knights.
Amidst these gripping matches, Springbok No. 8 Jasper Wiese was seen tearing up the field on the flank in the Urayasu D-Rocks’ 57-19 demolition of the Shimzu Blue Sharks in a relegation playoff. Lukhanyo Am and Pieter Scholtz also shone brightly, contributing significantly to Mitsubishi Dynaboars' 52-28 win over the Shuttles Aichi in Kanagawa.
“Not angry with SA, just focused on the game here,” said the father of Benhard Janse van Rensburg, shedding light on his son's current mindset.
With performances like these, the South African brigade abroad continues to fly the flag high, demonstrating that the spirit of Springbok rugby thrives across continents.