Sharks flyhalf Curwin Bosch celebrates with the Challenge Cup trophy after the Sharks beat Gloucester in the 2023/24 final in England. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images South African teams kick off their European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) campaigns over the next two weekends, with Stormers, Bulls and Sharks competing in the Champions Cup and Lions and Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup. They play two matches before returning to the United Rugby Championship for three fixtures, thereafter playing the last two EPCR pool matches in January.
No South African team has progressed past the quarter-finals of the higher-tier Champions Cup since joining in the 2022/23 season. In that year, the Sharks fell to Toulouse 54-20 and the Stormers lost to Exeter Chiefs 42-17 in the quarter-finals. The next year, the Bulls lost to Northampton Saints 59-22 in the same play-offs.
Last season, all three teams crashed out of the pool stages – the Sharks, Bulls and Stormers each winning just one of four games before falling into the Challenge Cup. The Sharks can boast that they are the only South African team to win the lower-tier tournament. Theybeat Gloucester 36–22in the final in England to claim the 2023/24 title.
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Otherwise, the Lions went as far in the round of 16 in 2023/24, losing 27-17 to Benetton. Last year, the Lions lost their round-of-16 match 24-12 to Edinburgh, the Sharks fell 34-21 to Lyon at the same stage, and the Bulls were edged 34-28 by Edinburgh in the quarter-finals. Bordeaux Bègles beat Northampton Saints 28-20 in last year’sChampions Cup final, while Bath beat Lyon in the Challenge Cup final. Bulls(Champions Cup)• Bordeaux Bègles at Loftus on 6 December (5.15pm);• Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens on 14 December (5.15pm);• Bristol Bears at Loftus on 10 January (3pm);• Section Paloise at Stade du Hameau on 16 January (10pm).
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