Cameron Hanekom scores a try for the Bulls during their last Champions Cup match this season. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
While the Bulls and Stormers produced worthy showings in their final fixtures of the Champions Cup, the Sharks were in tatters against a far superior Union Bordeaux Bègles and came apart at the seams in almost every department.
The Sharks only needed to lose by 28 points to become the last South African team to remain in the competition. Instead, they became mere spectators in Bordeaux and curtailed whatever chances there might have been of a decent weekend of rugby for South African fans, losing 66–12.
The Bulls and Stormers, while also knocked out of the tournament now, at least exemplified South African rugby’s never-say-die attitude.
A highlight for many would have been the Bulls scoring almost double the points they needed to secure a Challenge Cup round of 16 spot after their hopes of progress in the Champions Cup ended last week.
Needing a sizeable 22-point win against Stade Français that would enable them to drop into the second-tier tournament, the Bulls more than delivered after Jake White picked a much stronger side than the one that featured in the 49–10 drubbing at Castres Olympique.
The Bulls ran in seven tries against Stade at Loftus to secure a whooping 48–7 victory and end their four-game losing streak.
Cameron Hanekom, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Elrigh Louw and Stedman Gans were unstoppable for the Pretoria side that had the number of their opponents in set-pieces and small battles alike.
It didn’t help that the French visitors showed poor discipline and failed to match the Bulls’ energy in the highveld heat, the poor defensive effort shown in failing to prevent two quick-tap penalties leading to tries exemplified their lack-lustre attitude on the day.
The Stormers showed grit in their away contest against a strong Racing 92. But it was not meant to be as the Parisians clinched a 31-22 win to end the Stormers’ Champions Cup run.
The Stormers rested a few star players for the match but gave Racing a run for their money until just about the final whistle.
The result leaves the Stormers fifth in their pool but they may drop even further if Sale Sharks earn a point against Toulon. That would mean the Stormers dropping to sixth in the pool and out of the EPCR altogether (not even dropping into the Challenge Cup’s last 16).
The Stormers battered Racing’s defence repeatedly but credit must go to the home side who hung on. With just two points ahead in the 76th minute (24–22), only Boris Palu’s try and a kick from Le Garrec gave the win a greater points margin.
The Sharks game was bitterly disappointing to watch as a South African rugby fan.
Only needing to lose by 28 points to secure their progression, one would have thought it easy for a star-studded side.
While they opened brilliantly with two tries in the first eight minutes and controlling territory and possession for the first half-hour, it all fell to pieces from there and the game became all about Bordeaux winger Damian Penaud who scored six of Bordeaux’s 10 tries.
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