Lions flank Renzo du Plessis was a top performer in the second round of the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Du Plessis beat seven defenders – the second-most of any player in round two – in the Lions’ narrow defeat to the Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingston Park.
Round two delivered drama across Europe, with late comebacks, runaway scorelines and momentum-shifting wins as the competition heads into the Christmas break.
Montpellier, Benetton and Stade Français (who beat the Cheetahs 45-22 in Amsterdam) all strengthened their positions at the top of their respective pools.
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Top performers (Round 2)
Points: Hugo Reus (Perpignan) – 16
Carries: Alun Lawrence (Cardiff) – 17
Metres: Alexandre Tchaptchet (Lyon) – 125
Defenders beaten: Romain Taofifenua (Racing 92) – 8
Lineouts won: Florian Verhaeghe (Montpellier) – 10
Tackles: Gwilym Evans (Ospreys) – 26
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Key stats (Round 2)
– Iakopo Mapu (Stade Français) dominated the collision zone with a round-high seven dominant contacts and 50 post-contact metres.
– Paul Boyle (Connacht) topped the try-scoring charts with a first-half hat-trick.
– Renzo du Plessis (Lions) beat seven defenders in round two and sits fourth overall for dominant contacts this season.
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– Leonardo Marin (Benetton) beat seven defenders and ranks third for total carries in the competition this season (27).
– Joey Manu (Racing 92) led all players with six offloads while also gaining 107 metres in carries.
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Photo: Mike Driver/INPHO
The post Renzo roars for Lions in Challenge Cup appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Lions flank Renzo du Plessis was a top performer in the second round of the EPCR Challenge Cup.
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