CAPE TOWN – History will be made this weekend as South African clubs enter the European Rugby Champions Cup for the first time, another sign of the country’s drive towards more lucrative markets and an increasing estrangement from the global south.
The Durban Sharks will bow to South Africa when they host England’s Harlequins on Saturday afternoon and the Pretoria Bulls host French club Lyon in the evening. The Cape Town Stormers visit another French team, Clermont.
It’s not South African rugby’s first foray into the European market – its elite teams are taking part in a second season of the United Rugby Championship (URC) that includes clubs from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy – but it will be a step up from the opposition and the media glare.
“It happened earlier than planned but now it has become a reality, which really is great news,” SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said.
“I strongly believe we are on the right track playing in the Northern Hemisphere, and we are certainly looking forward to participating in the (European) competitions as it will only make the local game even better.”
The Stormers won the URC last season in an all-South African final against the Bulls, whose manager Jake White is under no illusions as to the task the trio will face in the Champions Cup.
“We will be up against teams that are full of international players. European teams are not just based on the player pool from their country – they have stars from all the major rugby nations,” said White, who won the World Cup with South Africa. in 2007.
“I’m afraid the South Africans are a bit naive about what’s ahead. The Champions Cup teams are much stronger than the URC teams. They have backpacks that weigh more than a thousand kilograms, they have brilliant backs. I think we are within a bit of a wake-up call this weekend”.
By contrast, visiting teams will have to endure 30 degree Celsius high summer heat when they travel to the Bulls. Although it works both ways.
“You play on a bone-hard court in 30-degree heat one weekend and experience biting cold, ferocious wind and torrential rain seven days later,” Bulls wideout Chris Smith said.
The Johannesburg-based South African Lions and Bloemfontein Cheetahs will play in the secondary European Rugby Challenge Cup competition which also kicks off this weekend.
