In-form Springboks trio star in the Investec Champions Cup

The in-form Springboks trio wearing numbers 9, 10 and 12 of November continued their hot form in Round 2 of the Investec Champions Cup.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks) and Cobus Reinach (Stormers) were South Africa’s biggest individual contributors. Their match statistics reinforced their contributions.

Bulls No 8 Elrigh Louw, in his comeback month, was comfortably his team’s best performer.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s individual statistics against La Rochelle read like a distinction list, with Paul de Villiers and Cobus Reinach producing massive individual returns in the 42-21 Investec Champions Cup win against La Rochelle.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu made the most metres (90), beat the most defenders (7), made the most kicks in play (11) and carried the ball the most (13). Player of the Match De Villiers, who won vital turnovers on his team’s own try line, made the most tackles (16), beat four defenders, the second most among the Stormers, alongside scrum half Cobus Reinach, and made the fifth most running metres (47). He also was made the third most carries (9), one behind second placed Reinach.

The impact of Springboks Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu is emphasised by their individual contributions and collective as a halfback pairing. The duo featured as the biggest contributors in every one of the four primary attacking categories.

De Villiers’s all-round impact, on attack, defensively and at the breakdown speaks to his Investec Player of the Match Award.

SUPER SATURDAY FOR STORMERS AND SHARKS

Sharks inside centre captain Andre Esterhuizen, in his 100th match for the Sharks, made the most tackles for his team (14), the most carries (11), beat the most defenders (5) and made the second most metres (29). His fellow Springboks midfielder beat four defenders, which was the second most for the Sharks. 

AFRICA PICKS: WINNING BIG WITH THE SHARKS

EVERY PLAYER STATISTIC AND TEAM STATISTIC FROM ROUND 2s 12 MATCHES

Springbok loose-forward Elrigh Louw, in his first start of the season after a lengthy lay-off because of a serious leg injury, was the top performer for the embattled Bulls against the Northampton Saints. The Bulls lost 50-5 but Louw was the the only bright light on a dark night.

Louw, who started at No 8, played for 58 minutes in his third comeback match. He made the most carry metres, 41, the second most tackles (13), which was one less than Marcell Coetzee and he won the most turnovers for the Bulls (2).

Saints smash Bulls