Stormers save SA teams’ blushes in difficult weekend in Champions Cup

The Stormers clinched a bonus point 30-16 win over Clermont in their home Champions Cup match on Saturday night to ensure that it wouldn’t be a first winless weekend in the competition for South African sides, after the Bulls and Sharks both lost.

In the previous three weekends of Champions Cup action there had always been at least two South African teams picking up a win, with this the first to see two losses, and it was in danger of being three with the Stormers trailing 6-3 at halftime against Clermont before battling back.

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The Bulls were given a 31-7 hiding by an under fire Lyon side in their match in France on Friday night, while the Sharks went down 39-29 to Harlequins in London.

Despite their loss against Lyon seeing them end with two wins and two losses from their pool games, the Bulls still managed to qualify in seventh place on the pool A table thanks to their two home bonus point wins.

The Sharks loss against Quins was their first of this seasons Champions Cup, but having done the hard work in their first three games they managed to secure third place on the pool A log which will see them host a home last 16 clash.

Home play-off

The Stormers secured a home play-off by beating Clermont for their third win of the competition, but they will be hoping for some help from fellow United Rugby Championship side Munster to avoid facing the Bulls in what could be a very tasty Champions Cup last 16 clash.

Currently the Stormers are second on the pool B log, but should Toulouse, who are fifth on the log having won all three of their games so far, beat Munster at home in their final pool match, they will jump above the Stormers into second.

This would secure another massive Stormers v Bulls derby, which is fast becoming the premier derby match-up in South African rugby.

In all it has been a strong debut campaign in the Champions Cup for the SA sides, having picked up a combined eight wins against four losses between the three teams.