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Chesklin Kolbe has grabbed the limelight yet again with another moment of magic in the Champions Cup.
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Toulouse are battling to seal a place in the knockout stage by winning their Round 5 fixtures against Connacht Rugby in Galway.
The South African lined out on the left wing, and in the eleventh minute was called on to field a banana clearance kick from Connacht’s Jack Carty.
The ball bounced high and the 5 foot 8 Kolbe rose high to tip the ball over the advancing Connacht winger, before collecting it and running up the field twenty metres.
Cheslin Kolbe casually showing off his insane skill in a high pressure situation ?#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/RKtnZTfdl0
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) January 11, 2020
Some questioned the legality of the tap, although few would question the skill.
Kolbe has been in fine form since he signed for Toulouse and was one of the stars of the Springboks’ triumphant Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan. Europe has been no different. The speedster beat the most defenders (52) and made the most breaks (17) of any player in last season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
Toulouse have won five of their previous seven meetings with Connacht in the Heineken Champions Cup, including their Round 2 clash this season, however, they did lose the last time they faced the Irish province in Galway in 2016/17.
The French side have however lost on each of their last six trips to Ireland, those defeats coming by an average margin of 21 points. Their last victory away to an Irish province was against Saturday’s opponents in 2013/14.
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Toulouse are the only side yet to concede a try in the final 20 minutes of a match this season, while Connacht have conceded seven in the final quarter, more than any other club.
Since losing to Connacht in Round 1 in 2016/17, Toulouse have lost just twice in 15 pool games (W12, D1), winning each of their last five in a row.
More Saracens chat this week as Big Jim and Goodey discuss what the future holds for Saracens after Nigel Wrays decision to leave the club.
