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Kolbe back in race to join elite SA club

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Springbok and Toulon wing Cheslin Kolbe

Fit-again Cheslin Kolbe will this weekend be one of six players striving to join an elite group of South Africans to have won a European title.

Kolbe, back from a hand injury, has been named to start for Toulon alongside Eben Etzebeth and Cornell du Preez in the European Challenge Cup final against Lyon at the Stade de Marseille on Friday night, while Dillyn Leyds, Raymond Rhule and Wiaan Liebenberg will turn out for La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final against Leinster on Saturday.

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Should Toulon emerge as winners, it would be the club’s first Challenge Cup victory, having previously been crowned three-time Champions Cup winners between 2012 and 2015.


Former Springboks Rossouw, Joe van Niekerk, Bakkies Botha, Bryan Habana, Juan Smith, Michael Claassens as well as hooker Craig Burden were integral to the success of Toulon during that era.

Last year, Montpellier won the 2020-21 Challenge Cup title, with Jan Serfontein, Johan Goosen, Bismarck du Plessis, Robert Rodgers, Jacques du Plessis, Cobus Reinach and Handre Pollard in their squad.

On Saturday, Leyds, Liebenberg and Rhule are tasked with helping La Rochelle win their very first European Champions Cup title against Irish side Leinster, who will be looking for their fifth Champions Cup win.

Last year, La Rochelle were denied in the final by Toulouse, with Kolbe and Rynhardt Elstadt both claiming winners’ medals.

South Africans have a long history of success in the tournament, with Schalk Brits, Michael Rhodes, Petrus du Plessis, Schalk Burger and Vincent Koch having won the 2017-18 title with Saracens, and the latter two repeating the feat the following season.

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