BOK WATCH : Pollard on song, Kolisi awol as RWC-winning Springboks show calibre

The Springboks’ World Cup winners continued to excellent form in the United Rugby Championship, English Premiership and French Top 14 this past weekend.

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SOUTH AFRICAN TEST STARS SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT

Handre Pollard and Jasper Wiese were part of the Leicester Tigers lineup that sacked the Newcastle Falcons 47-3 in the English Premiership. As he has been doing for the past couple of weeks since his return to the Tigers, Pollard was again the man of the moment. His educated boot landed four from five kicks at goal to guide the Tigers to a third consecutive victory.

Fellow Springbok Andre Esterhuizen minded the midfield superbly for Harlequins, who thrashed the Sale Sharks 36-3 to consolidate their place in the top two on the competition table.

Over in the French top 14, Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach continued his rich try-scoring form with a first five-pointer of he season Montpellier. But his effort was in vain, the they slumped to a 34-19 defeat at the hands of Bayonne.

Siya Kolisi was the noticeable absentee from the Racing 92 lineup for their match against Clermont. Despite the Springbok skipper’s absence, his fellow country and Test teammate Trevor Nyakane did start for the Parisian side, who ultimately lost by five points.

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There were many more Springbok action in the URC for both South African teams and foreign sides.

In the derby between the Bulls and the Sharks, the host of Springboks were on show at Loftus. World Cup winners Marco van Staden, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse featured for the Bulls alongside fellow Test internationals Elrigh Louw, Acker van der Merwe, Wilco Louw, Embrose Papier and Nizaam Carr. Arendse and van der Merwe got on the scoresheet for the Bulls, who hammered the Sharks 44-10. In the Sharks team loaded with Springboks Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am, Eben Etzebeth, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jaden Hendrikse, Curwin Bosch, Aphiwe Dyantyi and Aphelele Fassi, Ox Nche, Grant Williams and Rohan Janse van Rensburg.

The start of veteran Springbok Steven Kitshoff‘s career at Ulster took another hit with a second consecutive defeat, this time against Edinburgh, who won 27-24 at Kingspan Stadium.

There was a Springbok invasion in Stellenbosch where the Stormers’ Test stars called on their pedigree to turn the Cape side’s fortunes around. Deon Fourie, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse all starred for the Stormers in their 31-7 triumph over Zebre. Boks Joseph Dweba, Evan Roos, Herschel Jantjies and Courtnall Skosan also played for the Stormers. Additionally, Willemse, Roos and Skosan scored tries and Libbok knocked over three conversions.

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SPRINGBOK RUGBY IS IN A GOOD PLACE