'Big in Japan' playing on repeat for Springboks

It was raining tries once again in the Land of the Rising Sun, as the Springboks continued to impress Japan League One.

The imperious Malcolm Marx shrugged off a defender and showed good pace to find the tryline as the undefeated Kubota Spears bested Brave Lupus 46-27.

Shizuoka Blue Revs captain crashed over the whitewash for his team, but Suntory Sungoliath battled back to win 25-17.

Springbok centre Jessie Kriel scored his fourth try of the season for the Yokohama Canon Eagles as they eased past a 14-man Toyota Verblitz 36-7. Pieter-Steph du Toit's men were up against it when Michael Allardice was shown a red card for an illegal cleanout on Bok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk. Springbok veteran Willie le Roux once again started at flyhalf for Verblitz.

The Wild Knights continued their perfect season with a ninth win, this time defeating Kobe Steelers 48-10 with the aid of Springbok centre Damian de Allende. Forgotten Springbok utility forward Marcell Coetzee started at No 8 for the Steelers.

On the other side of the globe in Premiership Rugby, Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked an important late penalty to help Jasper Wiese's Leicester Tigers edge Saracens 25-22.

Springbok Robert du Preez got a rare start at outside centre and kicked seven points as the Sale Sharks lost 22-24 to Exeter Chiefs. Jean-Luc du Preez ran on as eighthman.

Across the English Channel in the Top 14, Springbok livewire Cobus Reinach scored a try in a losing cause as Montpellier went down 27-17 to a Stade Francais outfit featuring Bok prop Vincent Koch.

World Cup hero Cheslin Kolbe couldn't help Toulon as they went down 36-21 to Clermont, while Trevor Nyakane ran out for Racing 92 who were rolled over 45-11 by Lyon