Good return for local franchises
LAST-16: ALL SA TEAMS ADVANCE TO EURO KNOCKOUTS
All five of South Africa’s big rugby franchises have qualified for the last-16 of either the Champions Cup or Challenge Cup competitions. After the final round of group matches this last weekend, the Bulls and Stormers will both play at home in their last-16 matches in the Champions Cup, underlining their strength as South Africa’s two strongest teams, while in the Challenge Cup, the Sharks will be at home and the Lions and Cheetahs will travel to Europe for their matches.
Jake White’s Bulls, who beat Bodeaux-Begles at the weekend, will take on French side Lyon in their last-16 match at Loftus Versfeld, while the Stormers of John Dobson,who were surprise winners against Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday, will be in
Cape Town against multiple former champions and star-studded French outfit La Rochelle.
The Sharks, who are struggling to make an impression in the United Rugby Championship, finished as top seeds from their pool in the Challenge Cup and will play at home against Italian side Zebre, who they know well from the URC.
The Lions, who inexplicably lost to Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday after conceding three late converted tries, will travel to Treviso, Italy to take on Benetton while the Cheetahs, who were pipped by Oyonnax in the dying seconds on Saturday, will go to Clermont in France for their next match.
There are a number of huge matches to look forward to in both competitions on the weekend of 5-7 April when the last-16 matches are to be played.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s Racing 92 travel to Toulouse for an all-French affair, while former Bok boss Jacques Nienaber’s Leinster will welcome Leicester, where Handre Pollard plays.