“Do-or-Die” In Europe: Can SA’s Big Three Pull Off Triple-Headed Upset This Weekend?
South Africa’s elite franchises head to Europe for high-stakes Round of 16 knockouts this weekend.
The Stormers and Bulls hunt Investec Champions Cup quarterfinal spots, while the Sharks begin their EPCR Challenge Cup title defense in Ireland.
The Stormers will face RC Toulon in France in the first Champions Cup playoff involving a South African side on Saturday at 16:00, while the Bulls will take on the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland at 18:30.
In the Challenge Cup, the Sharks will look to replicate the form that saw them win the title for the first time in the 2023/24 season when they meet Connacht Rugby in Ireland on Friday.
With all three teams playing away in vastly different conditions from those they are accustomed to in South Africa—where they have recently featured in the United Rugby Championship—they face a significant challenge. However, given the high stakes and their strong competitive rhythm in the URC, victories abroad would provide a major confidence boost.
The Stormers head into their clash high on confidence after three successive URC victories, which have lifted them to second place on the standings with four pool matches remaining. They will, however, expect a desperate response from Toulon. Although the French side has won their last three Champions Cup matches, they have struggled domestically in the Top 14, losing four of their last five fixtures—two of those at home—and slipping toward the lower end of the table.
A win for the Cape side would mark an impressive four-from-four run across both competitions and help them rediscover the momentum that saw them win their opening 10 matches of the season. They will, however, remain cautious, having lost to Toulon in Cape Town in last season’s Champions Cup—a result that could inspire the French club to deliver another strong performance.
The clash between URC log leaders Glasgow Warriors and the Bulls is expected to be particularly intense, with both teams occupying positions in the top half of the table. The Pretoria side will be eager to avenge their 21-12 defeat to the Scots earlier this season.
Motivation will be high for the Bulls, who know that a victory would end Glasgow’s unbeaten run in the Champions Cup. Such a result would be especially significant given that the South Africans have managed only one win in their four pool matches in the competition.
While the Bulls boast a stronger attacking record in the URC, Glasgow’s defensive structure has been far superior—an area the visitors will need to address going into the match.
The Sharks, meanwhile, find themselves in a similar position to the Bulls, having suffered a heavy 44-17 defeat to Connacht in Ireland earlier in their URC campaign. However, with only a marginal gap between the sides on the standings—Connacht sit just one place above the Durban outfit with one more win—the stage is set for a closely contested encounter.
Adding to the intrigue, Connacht are riding a five-match winning streak in the URC, while the Sharks come into the fixture on the back of two consecutive home victories and are eager to build sustained momentum.
