Champions Cup: Five South Africans who shone in Round Two including Thomas du Toit, Hacjivah Dayimani and Jasper Wiese
After the completion of the second round of matches in this season’s Champions Cup, we take a look at five players who came to the fore with outstanding performances for their respective clubs.
Thomas du Toit (Sharks)
The Springbok tighthead prop has spent some time on the sidelines following a red card while on international duty in the Boks’ clash with England at Twickenham last month, but made a memorable return to action as he walked off with the official star of the match award in the Sharks’ 19-16 triumph in a hostile environment at Bordeaux-Begles.
Du Toit’s return was seen as a real boost for the Sharks – after fellow Bok front-row Ox Nche received a three-week suspension following his red card in their opener against Harlequins – and he hit the ground running with a superb all-round display. The burly forward came to the fore with solid scrummaging, was a willing ball carrier and defender but also did well at the breakdowns where he won one turnover.
Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)
The Tigers clinched a crucial 23-16 victory against Clermont Auvergne at Welford Road to retain their unbeaten start to the competition and Wiese was at the forefront of his team’s onslaught. The 27-year-old showed why he is so highly rated by the Springboks brains trust as he put in a big shift at the coalface of Leicester’s forward effort.
Wiese proved a real handful to the Clermont defence with ball in hand and eventually gained 76 metres from an incredible 19 carries which included one clean break and an offload. He also made his mark on defence as he finished with a match-high 16 tackles and was also a menace at the breakdowns where he won two crucial turnovers.
Hacjivah Dayimani (Stormers)
With Springbok number eight Evan Roos sidelined through injury, Daymani, who usually plays on the blindside flank, has slotted in seamlessly to the base of the scrum for the men from the Cape and played outstandingly well in Saturday’s 34-14 triumph over London Irish. The 25-year-old was in the thick of the action from the outset and came to the fore with a fine attacking performance in Cape Town.
Another smooth @thestormers attack from their own 22 and this one stands 🏉
The gas from Hacjivah Dayimani too 🙌#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/DXADldimCt
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 17, 2022
The Stormers dominated for long periods, thanks in no small part to Daymani, who was prominent throughout and he took the fight to the Premiership outfit, with his searing pace proving difficult to contain. He showed his opponents a clean pair of heels as he raced away from close to the halfway line to score a deserved try which helped him finish the game with 130 metres gained, from eight carries and one clean break. It came as no surprise when he was named star of the match after the game.
Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
After losing their tournament opener against the Sharks, Quins were determined to bounce back against Racing 92 and Esterhuizen played a significant role as the Premiership outfit achieved that goal courtesy of a hard-fought 14-10 win in difficult weather conditions at Twickenham Stoop. As usual, the Bok impressed with great physicality which gave his side much-needed momentum.
The Springbok centre did well as a ball carrier and was rewarded with a vital try early in the second half which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides, but he also put his body on the line on defence and eventually finished with nine tackles made. He shone at the breakdowns too, finishing the match with two turnovers won.
Curwin Bosch (Sharks)
The second Shark to make our list, Bosch has impressed since returning to the Sharks’ starting line-up in recent weeks and he continued with that impressive form in the Durban-based outfit’s victory over Bordeaux. Prior to his comeback, Bosch was a prodigious talent, who made a rapid rise to the top but he has struggled with his form in recent years.
However, after a spell on the sidelines due to injury, he is back in action and the Sharks have won all three matches since his return – against the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship as well as the Champions Cup wins over Harlequins and Bordeaux. In the latter match, his goalkicking was particularly impressive as he finished with a 14-point haul after slotting a conversion, a drop goal and three penalties of which one was from 56 metres out while another long range effort fell just short of the cross-bar.