Malcolm hits the mark with Spears

Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx was on target for Kubota Spears in Japan League One as South Africa’s contingent of overseas-based players starred at the weekend.

Japan League One
Malcolm Marx and Rikus Pretorius each crossed the whitewash for Kubota Spears in their massive 62-14 win over Kwagga Smith’s Shizuoka Blue Revs. David Bulbring also featured for Spears, while Blue Revs skipper Smith was joined in the starting lineup by Sylvain Mahuza.

Former Bulls loose forward Willie Potgieter scored a try in a Man of the Match performance for Kobe Steel in their thumping 62-21 win over Toyota Verblitz.

Double World Cup winners Franco Mostert and Faf de Klerk came up against each other on Sunday. Mostert claimed bragging rights as Honda Heat beat De Klerk’s Yohohama Canon Eagles 20-17. Janko Swanepoel started at lock for Honda.

State of the URC: Lions, Stormers under pressure

Lood de Jager played for Saitama Wild Knights in their 39-10 win over Mitsubishi Dynaboars as they maintained pole position on the log after nine rounds.

Lourens Erasmus played for Urayasu D-Rocks who went down 40-35 to Suntory Sungoliath and remain rooted to the bottom of the standings.

Top 14
Springbok pair Cobus Reinach and Jan Serfontein were involved in Montpellier’s 37-24 defeat to Vannes. Serfontein was shown a yellow card for the second week in a row.

Former Sharks players Jeremy Ward and JJ van der Mescht started for Stade Francais in their 24-6 defeat to Toulon to leave the Parisians bottom of the table. Ex-Glenwood star Joe Jonas was introduced in the second half for Stade.

Former Kearsney College playmaker Tristan Tedder kicked 16 points for Racing 92 in their important 26-21 win away at La Rochelle. Hacjivah Dayimani was a second-half replacement for Racing.

Rohan Janse van Rensburg started at 12 for Bordeaux against Clermont in a 22-18 victory, while former Kings scrumhalf James Hall – who has just signed an extension at Perpignan – tasted defeat as his side went down 23-6 to Pau in the Pyrenees.

Arno Botha came off the bench for Lyon in their 30-25 away defeat to Castres, and Pieter Scholtz started at tighthead for Bayonne as they were thrashed 41-6 at Toulouse.

Photo: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images