White warns Sharks, Stormers: ‘You’re now up against European powerhouses’

Bulls boss Jake White has warned the Sharks and Stormers they face an uphill battle if they are to progress beyond the quarter-final stage of the Champions Cup this weekend.

The Bulls were dumped out of the competition on Sunday when they lost 33-9 to Toulouse, but the Sharks advanced to the last-eight with a 50-35 win against Munster, while the Stormers beat Harlequins 32-28 to reach the quarter-finals.

This weekend the Sharks will take on Toulouse, while the Stormers will face Exeter Chiefs — both away from home.

‘Real powerhouses’

White, who has coached in Europe at Montpellier, said a huge task awaited the sides of Neil Powell (Sharks) and John Dobson (Stormers).

“The Champions Cup is an incredibly tough competition to win,” said White.

“A team like Racing 92 are one of the great sides and they can’t get over the line.

“It now becomes tough. Now you’re up against the likes of Saracens, La Rochelle, Toulouse … the real powerhouses of European Cup rugby.

“This is where the men get separated from the boys.”

Best players in action

White said the remaining Champions Cup matches would be a “great test” to see where the Sharks and Stormers are in rugby.

“You have to play so well now to get over the line. This last weekend, the majority of the home teams won in the European competitions … proof again of how hard it is to win away. This is now the top eight and the best players will be sent out, with no one wanting to get knocked out.”

White did add though the Sharks and Stormers, with all their Springbok players, were always going to be South Africa’s best hope of European glory.

“Just look at how Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie changed our team (recently), and they probably won’t start for the Boks at the World Cup, but they made a difference to us” said White.

“The Stormers and Sharks have got so many Bok players, so they’re different to us. We (the Bulls) are far off winning this competition (the Champions Cup), but we will get it right.

“We will have to have a good look at our squad.”