South Africans in Europe

[ThemApples]

Hey guys,

I never get the opportunity to watch any northern hemisphere rugby which is really a shame because you have some awesome competitions. What I wanna know is, which South African players have made a big impact for their clubs up north? Any players that deserve a special mention?

Thanks in advance.

 

[DonBilly]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThemApples @ Sep 25 2009, 08:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hey guys,

I never get the opportunity to watch any northern hemisphere rugby which is really a shame because you have some awesome competitions. What I wanna know is, which South African players have made a big impact for their clubs up north? Any players that deserve a special mention?

Thanks in advance.[/b]

A non exhaustive list for French clubs:

Van Niekerk for Toulon, Brian Liebenberg and Noel Oelchig for Stade Français, Sowerby for Toulouse, Cronje for Biarritz, Vosloo for Brive, Lund for Bayonne, Russel for Clermont. We'll see how Stein performs with Racing.

 

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DonBilly @ Sep 25 2009, 06:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThemApples @ Sep 25 2009, 08:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey guys,

I never get the opportunity to watch any northern hemisphere rugby which is really a shame because you have some awesome competitions. What I wanna know is, which South African players have made a big impact for their clubs up north? Any players that deserve a special mention?

Thanks in advance.[/b]

A non exhaustive list for French clubs:

Van Niekerk for Toulon, Brian Liebenberg and Noel Oelchig for Stade Français, Sowerby for Toulouse, Cronje for Biarritz, Vosloo for Brive, Lund for Bayonne, Russel for Clermont. We'll see how Stein performs with Racing.
[/b][/quote]

Isn't Cronje playing for Racing Metro now?

 

[munstermuffin]

De Villiers (The good one ) is with Munster fresh off his Tri-Nations Triumph

 

[Juan VdS]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Intercept King JdV @ Sep 25 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Isn't Cronje playing for Racing Metro now?[/b]

Yes he is. Racing Métro has invested a lot of cash in a wide variety of players: Benjamin Noirot (Biarritz), Jacques Cronje (Biarritz), Fabien Fortassin (Montauban), Fabrice Culine (Agen), Juan-Pablo Orlandi (Rovigo), Lionel Nallet (Castres), Sébastien Chabal (Sale), Clément Baïocco (Montpellier), Rémi Vaquin (La Rochelle), Frans Steyn (Sharks), Epeli Taione (Harlequins), and Julien Saubade (Stade Français).

Sireli Bobo + Frans + Mehrtens = havoc in the opposite back 3.

 

[MunsterMan]

In Ireland:

Jean de Villiers - Munster

CJ van der Linde - Leinster

BJ Botha - Ulster
Robbie Diack - Ulster


Of these guys I'd say Botha has had the biggest impact to date, really improved the Ulster scrum, where as CJ has been a sicknote, JdV has just arrived and Diack has played pretty well, but nothing groundbreaking.

 

[Prestwick]

Ernst Joubert, Schalk Britts, Neil de Kock and Wikus van de silly surname have made a great start for Saracens!

 

[mohamed_ali12]

For Bath: Claassens has been absolutely superb. One of the best scrum-halfs in the premiership and this year made club captain. Butch James too has been hugely important and with someone like Barkley to kick his goals for him he should flourish further. Pieter Dixon does a good job when Mears isn't available and Luke Watson when he arrives should be awesome.

 

[Stillknox]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DonBilly @ Sep 25 2009, 06:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThemApples @ Sep 25 2009, 08:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey guys,

I never get the opportunity to watch any northern hemisphere rugby which is really a shame because you have some awesome competitions. What I wanna know is, which South African players have made a big impact for their clubs up north? Any players that deserve a special mention?

Thanks in advance.[/b]

A non exhaustive list for French clubs:

Van Niekerk for Toulon, Brian Liebenberg and Noel Oelchig for Stade Français, Sowerby for Toulouse, Cronje for Biarritz, Vosloo for Brive, Lund for Bayonne, Russel for Clermont. We'll see how Stein performs with Racing.
[/b][/quote]

Lund is an englishman, he was capped a few years ago. And he's playing for Biarritz.

You named the best one, but I think you can add Gavin Hume, Philip Burger, Gerrie Britz for Perpignan, Marius Joubert for Clermont, Sam Gerber and Rob Linde for Bayonne, Ross Skeate for Toulon and Antonie Claassen for Brive. I don't think he's known in South Africa but Claassen is an excellent player. Lievremont is even considering him for the french jersey...

 

[Bullitt]

Saints had an all SA front row for portion of their game yesterday against Wasps... Mujati, Sharman and Dreyer.

They were crap.

 

[bristol-iain]

Matthew Turner- Done well for us, showing some real talent on the wing. Will improve his game further and be a big part of Bristol's future. He has been selected for the England sevens squad which proabably rules him out as being a South African. He ws born in Cape Town.

 

[shazbooger]

DeVilliers wasnt particularly impressive last Saturday. O'Driscoll skinned him on the outside for a try, and Horgan took a pass right out of his hands at the end. Early days for him of course.

VanDeLinde's toe seems to be on the mend and we should see him on the bench this Friday against London Irish.

 

[Charles]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Stillknox @ Oct 5 2009, 11:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DonBilly @ Sep 25 2009, 06:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThemApples @ Sep 25 2009, 08:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey guys,

I never get the opportunity to watch any northern hemisphere rugby which is really a shame because you have some awesome competitions. What I wanna know is, which South African players have made a big impact for their clubs up north? Any players that deserve a special mention?

Thanks in advance.[/b]

A non exhaustive list for French clubs:

Van Niekerk for Toulon, Brian Liebenberg and Noel Oelchig for Stade Français, Sowerby for Toulouse, Cronje for Biarritz, Vosloo for Brive, Lund for Bayonne, Russel for Clermont. We'll see how Stein performs with Racing.
[/b][/quote]

Lund is an englishman, he was capped a few years ago. And he's playing for Biarritz.

[/b][/quote]

Lund is Norwegian. Played for England though.

Edit: ok he was born and bred in England, but still ^_^

 

[Steve-o]

Keo.co.za has a weekly/fort-nightly article about Saffa's playing abroad. Here's the latest:

http://www.keo.co.za/2009/10/04/saffas-abroad-6/

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Keo.co.za takes a look at the South Africans that performed in Europe this past weekend.

Loftus Versfeld may have a new darling in Morne Steyn, but Liefling is certainly flourishing in the Premiership. Derick Hougaard scored 15 points in Saracens’ 22-15 win over Newcastle. Hougaard picked up a try, two conversions and a penalty before he was subbed in the second half. Gcobani Bobo came off the bench for the Falcons.

In other Sunday fixtures, England hopeful Hendrie Fourie was yellow carded in Leeds’ 26-10 defeat to Gloucester. Brian Mujati’s Northampton went down 20-15 to London wasps.

Starting at fullback, Frans Steyn sunk a typical drop goal to help Racing Metro to a 17-12 win over Montauban. Brent Russell scored a try in French log-leaders Clermont’s 38-13 triumph over Bayonne. Former Pumas centre and nephew of a Bok legend, Sam Gerber picked up a try through an interception.

Stade Francais scrumhalf Noel Oelschig continues to pop on the French sports pages. Although the former Cheetahs No 9 only kicked a conversion and two penalties, his all-round contribution helped Stade to a 44-16 bludgeoning of Brive. The battling Brive did manage one try through Antoine Claasen who may represent France when they host the Springboks in November.

New Munster centre Jean de Villiers battled to make an impact in a 30-0 loss to CJ van der Linde’s Leinster. De Villiers spent the night defending against Brian O’Driscoll and company as Leinster received much of the possession. In other Celtic League games, tighthead BJ Botha scrummed well in Ulster’s demolition of Scarlets.[/b]