STAT ATTACK: The South Africans that are rocking the Premiership
EURO SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com continues to track the performances of South African players in the Premiership and it is not just the World Cup winners that are rocking it in England.
Northampton Saints ensured they would begin 2024 at the top of the Premiership standings, with a 21-17 win over Sale Sharks in Round 10.
Several sides are hot on their heels – led by Exeter Chiefs, who won at Bristol Bears, while more than 76,000 fans watched Harlequins overcome Gloucester at Twickenham Stadium on a record-breaking weekend of attendance figures.
Sell-out crowds also packed into Welford Road and Barnet Copthall – as Leicester Tigers and Saracens overcame Bath and Newcastle Falcons respectively.
The South African players that produced the most significant numbers in Round 10 include forgotten former Lions utility back Tyrone Green and World Cup-winning Springbok Andre Esterhuizen – playing for Quins in their 32-26 win over Gloucester at Twickenham.
Green made 132 metres from 17 carries in this season’s Big Game – more than any other player in Round 10. His 17 carries were second most of the round, behind the 20 by Zach Mercer of Gloucester.
Marcus Smith made 113 metres, more than any other flyhalf has made in a match this season.
Esterhuizen made a round-high four dominant tackles against Gloucester. Add in his 11 carries and six tackles and it was another productive day at the office for ‘The Giant’.
Two other World Cup winners – Handre Pollard and Jasper Wiese – were also influential in Leicester Tigers’ 35-22 win over Bath.
Pollard made nine carries for 30 metres, six tackles and kicked four conversions.
Wiese, still the most productive forward in the Premiership, made another 14 carries for 80 metres and six tackles.
Juarno Augustus, playing for Saints, made 15 carries (third most) and eight tackles. However, the seven defenders he beat were second-most for the round.
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On the overall statistics for the season Wiese, Green, Dan du Preez and off-season signing Ernst van Rhyn all feature prominently.
Wiese, the World Cup winner not to be confused with brother Cobus who plays for Sale Sharks, has made 188 tackles – the second most behind Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 125).
Green (99) comes in fourth in the carry category and Du Preez (96) sixth.
Wiese is fifth in the category of most defenders beaten, his 31 not far behind leader Tom Wyatt (Exeter Chiefs, 37).
Green’s 10 linebreaks place him fifth in a category headed by Tommy Freeman (Saints, 14).
Van Rhyn is showing the same workrate that made him such a stalwart in Cape Town, with his 164 tackles way ahead of second-placed Tom Pearson (Saints, 127).
Wiese, with eight turnovers, is sixth. Dombrandt (12) heads this category as well.
Hanro Liebenberg (Leicester Tigers) has won the most line-outs on his own throw, 45, in a category that also features Du Preez (30).
