Champions Cup: SA teams all through to last 16 despite Bulls and Sharks losses

Brok Harris of the Stormers during the Heineken Champions Cup match between DHL Stormers and ASM Clermont Auvergne at DHL Stadium on 21 January, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

22 Jan 2023

Despite the Bulls being thumped by Lyon and the Sharks losing a thriller to Harlequins, both teams will join the triumphant Stormers in the round of 16.

The Bulls went down 31-7 to an impressive Lyon side in France to put their European Champions Cup round of 16 qualification in peril. But a string of other results went their way in Pool A to ensure a narrow qualification for the Pretoria-based side.

The Sharks, on the other hand, sealed their qualification for the next round last week already but still sent a strong side to battle Harlequins at Twickenham.

The Durban-based side lost 39-29 against the formidable English foes that had six-season Sharks veteran André Esterhuizen running the show for Harlequins.

The Sharks secured a four-try bonus point in their defeat which guaranteed they finish in the top four of table A and will have a home round of 16 clash.

The match was highly entertaining for neutrals as both teams gave the ball air and had line breaks aplenty among the nine tries scored on the day.

Despite the defeat, the Sharks’ big-name players all stood up. Springboks Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am and Jaden Hendrikse were all impressive as each secured a try of their own.

“[I’m] disappointed with our performance,” Powell told reporters after the match.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t dominant and clinical enough in areas that mattered, and we paid for it.

“Ill-discipline; conceding 18 penalties in a game is always going to cost you against a quality attacking side like Harlequins.”

Only two points separated the sides at the break, but the disjointed Sharks defence allowed Harlequins to extend their slender lead.

“We were just not good enough at the breakdown, looking after our ball. I think in terms of our game management, especially in the second half, we also played too much in the wrong area of the pitch,” added Powell.

“I almost felt like we started to chase the game where we didn’t need to. So, with 25 minutes to go, 20 minutes to go, we almost look like we are chasing the game and playing in the wrong areas.”

Icy Bulls

The Bulls were totally outplayed in their defeat to Lyon but according to Bulls assistant coach, Chris Rossouw, it is an opportunity to learn and grow for his side.

“For many of the boys, it’s a first encounter in France. They came across a French side that [when] at home, is completely different,” said Rossouw who is standing in for director of rugby Jake White who continues to recover from emergency surgery.

The weather dropped to the negatives in Lyon as snow fell during the match, something the young Bulls would be unaccustomed to, but Rossow refused to use that as an excuse.

“We can’t use the conditions and the travel as an excuse. It was extremely cold but the conditions weren’t that bad,” he said.

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“We conceded too many penalties that put us under pressure.”

The Bulls trailed 10-0 early and couldn’t make their opposition pay when they got into a few positions of dominance.

Their only try came through a brilliant Kurt-Lee Arendse interception from deep within his own half.

The Bulls’ inability to put any meaningful pressure on their French opposition stemmed from their inability to hold onto possession and string phases together.

“When you play on an artificial pitch, the pitch is more reactive which makes ball control more difficult. You see a lot of those errors around the ruck areas when we place the ball. It’s not as stable compared to grass,” Rossouw added.

The Bulls managed to sneak into the round of 16 qualification in the Champions Cup in seventh in their pool — with the top eight progressing.

Stormers come alive in second 40

The Stormers were the only South African side to win in the Champions Cup this weekend.

Their 30-16 victory over French foes Clermont Auvergne in Cape Town was sweet revenge over a team that defeated them 24-14 in December.

The win also secured a top-four finish for the Cape Town-based side and a home round-of-16 clash.

The match got off at a snail’s pace as the two sides went into the sheds trading penalties and Clermont leading 3-6.

The Stormers played most of the rugby despite trailing their opposition.

Brok Harris of the Stormers, Bulls Brok Harris of the Stormers during the Heineken Champions Cup match between DHL Stormers and ASM Clermont Auvergne at DHL Stadium on 21 January, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)

“I didn’t realise at the time because when you coach you only look at your own team. You have to give it to Clermont for the way they defended in the first half,” said Stormers head coach John Dobson.

“They made 112 tackles in the first half and only missed three… We were just hit with a brick wall the whole time.

“We reset at half-time, Kitsie (Steven Kitshoff) spoke to the team well and then we just became more direct,” the coach added.

New half-back pairing Stefan Ungerer and Kade Wolhuter failed to steer the ship for the home side in the first half and were replaced by Springbok Herschel Jantjies and the returning Jean-Luc du Plessis after the break.

Despite the lack of execution on attack, captain Kitshoff believed his side had all the momentum in the first 40 minutes.

“We played all the rugby in their half and were bashing at them for 90% of the time. It was just a couple of handling errors and being late at the breakdown that gave them the exit,” said the skipper.

Jantjies and Du Plessis weren’t the only returning figures from injury as new Springbok and Cape Town stadium darling Evan Roos also made his long-awaited return to his home ground.

“It looked like the old Evan today. He was heavily marked at the start of the season when he played those games [in the URC]. I’m very pleased, he’s a massive asset for us going forward,” said Dobson.

The victory means the Stormers won three of their four group stage matches and finished in the top four of Group B, guaranteeing a home round-of-16 clash. DM

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Icy Bulls

Stormers come alive in second 40