SA teams determined to fight back in Europe

While the DHL Stormers will have their sights set on continuing their formidable form this season when they line up against Stade Rochelais in round two of the Investec Champions Cup this weekend, the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Vodacom Bulls, Toyota Cheetahs and Lions will be desperate to bounce back from disappointing defeats in their opening Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup matches to stay in the race for the play-offs.

The Stormers will host Stade Rochelais in Gqeberha on Saturday, followed by matches between the Sharks and Saracens in Durban in the Investec Champions Cup and on Sunday, the Bulls will take on Northampton Saints in England.

In the EPCR Challenge Cup, the Cheetahs take on Stade Francais in Amsterdam and the Lions face Newcastle in England.

These matches will be crucial in the teams’ play-off hopes, given that the European showpieces consist of only four round-robin matches before the knock-out stages, which begins with the Round of 16.

The Stormers will be wary of their French visitors at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium following their 39-20 victory against the Leicester Tigers last week, which saw the two-time former Champions Cup winners top their table.

That said, the Capetonians have been in red-hot form this season, winning all six of their Vodacom United Rugby Championship matches, which has seen them remain the only unbeaten team in the competition, while their impressive 26-17 victory against Bayonne in France last week will boost their confidence even more.

In stark contrast to the Stormers, Stade Rochelais find themselves on the lower end of the Top 14 standings after winning only five of their 11 matches so far this season, which will see the Capetonians enter the match as favourites.

The Sharks, meanwhile, will have to be on point when they line up against Saracens at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, especially with the visitors coming off a comprehensive 47-10 victory against Clermont Auvergne last week, in which they scored an impressive seven tries to outplay the opposition.

The English club are also currently second on the Gallagher Premiership table after an overwhelming victory against Newcastle at home, meaning the Durbanites will have to deliver an all-round top-drawer performance to change their fortunes this season. They have only won one and drew one of their six URC matches before suffering a heavy 56-19 defeat against Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup last week.

The clash between the Bulls and Northampton Saints is expected to be a thriller, despite the Pretoria side coming off a defeat last week, while the hosts registered a narrow seven-point victory against Pau, as both teams will be looking to hit their straps after struggling to build dominant form in the last few weeks.

The Saints, however, will draw inspiration from the fact that they have won three of their last four games in Northampton and they will have the luxury of their home crowd and cold conditions counting in their favour.

They are, however, expected to face tough competition against the visitors who could have toppled the defending Investec Champions Cup champs, Bordeaux Begles, last weekend in Pretoria, had two second-half yellow cards not disrupted their momentum after leading 33-22 at half-time.

In the EPCR Challenge Cup, the Cheetahs will look to build on their decent second-half showing against the Exeter Chiefs last week, which limited the English side to only one try after the break despite suffering a defeat, when they line up against Stade Francais in Amsterdam on Saturday.

But the Free Staters will have to be much more effective on defence and use their chances on attack to keep alive their hopes of securing a victory against the French outfit, who registered a convincing victory against Cardiff last week and who are currently in fourth place on the Top 14 table after winning six of their 11 matches this season.

The Lions will also back themselves to give the Newcastle Red Bulls a go when they meet at Kingston Park on Saturday, after a costly yellow card in the closing minutes of their clash against Benetton last week dashed their hopes of victory in their EPCR Challenge Cup opener.

The Johannesburg outfit have had a decent season so far, suffering only three defeats in the URC – one of which was by a narrow two points – but they have shown that they have what it takes to deliver the desired results when they hit their straps with morale-boosting victories against the Bulls, Ulster and the Scarlets in the last few weeks.

Newcastle, who beat Lyon 23-14 last week, have been struggling to find momentum after suffering five defeats in their previous six matches before last week. This should set the scene for a gripping match-up.

After this weekend’s European clashes, the URC returns with two rounds of exciting South African derbies on Saturday, 20 December, and Saturday, 3 January.

On 20 December the Stormers will take on the Lions at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town at 3.30pm and the Sharks will host the Bulls at Hollywoodbets Kings Park at 6pm.

In the ninth round of the competition, on 3 January, the Sharks meet the Lions in Durban and the Stormers will welcome the Bulls to Cape Town in an exciting start to the new year.

Fixtures

Investec Champions Cup

DHL Stormers v Stade Rochelais - Saturday @ Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha (3pm)

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

TV: SuperSport

Hollywoodbets Sharks v Saracens - Saturday Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban (5.15pm)

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

TV: SuperSport

Northampton Saints v Vodacom Bulls - Sunday @ Cinch Stadium @ Franklin's Gardens, England (5.15pm)

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

TV: SuperSport

EPCR Challenge Cup

Toyota Cheetahs v Stade Francais - Saturday @ NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam (3pm)

Referee: Sara Cox (England)

TV: SuperSport

Newcastle Red Bulls v Lions - Saturday @ Kingston Park, Newcastle (7pm)

Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)

TV: SuperSport