Photo: Francois Esterhuyzen (c) Nika Berseneva
South African hooker Francois Esterhuyzen has concluded the season with an impressive 18 tries, marking a significant individual achievement in the PARI Russian Rugby Championship.
Before the crucial third-place playoff match in the championship, Esterhuyzen found himself trailing Lokomotiv`s Tiaan van der Merwe by two tries. However, demonstrating his exceptional scoring prowess, in the first half of the game against “Krasny Yar,” the South African not only successfully closed this gap but also surpassed his competitor to establish his definitive final tally for the season.
This remarkable accomplishment signifies the third consecutive time that Francois Esterhuyzen has been crowned the leading try-scorer in the PARI Russian Championship. His consistent dominance is further highlighted by his even more outstanding performances in previous seasons: he scored 29 tries in the 2023-24 season and 26 tries in the 2022-23 season, cementing his reputation as a prolific scorer.
At the close of the 2025 season, second place among the championship`s top try-scorers went to Lokomotiv hooker Tiaan van der Merwe, who recorded a commendable 16 tries. His teammate, Denis Mashkin, rounded out the top three with 15 tries, showcasing the strong offensive capabilities of the Lokomotiv squad.
