State of Euro cups: Make or break for Bulls, Stormers
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The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers must rally to victory on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the Investec Champions Cup playoffs this season.
Investec Champions Cup
The BULLS are languishing in fifth place in Pool 3 after losing their opening two matches – 27-5 to Saracens in London and 30-21 to the Northampton Saints at Loftus – and failing to pick up a single bonus point. A third defeat, to Castres at the Stade Pierre-Fabre on Saturday, would likely end their European campaign, with another home match, against Stade Francais, to come on 18 January. The Bulls dominated possession and territory against Northampton only to blow several try-scoring opportunities, and coach Jake White will want better finishing from his side in France.
The STORMERS are in the same situation as the Bulls, having lost their opening “home” match 24-14 to Toulon in Gqeberha, before going down 53-16 to Harlequins in London. Since then, the Cape side has welcomed back several Springboks from injury and won back-to-back matches in the Vodacom URC against the Lions and Sharks to get their season back on track. A win against the Sale Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday would maintain that momentum and breathe life into their Champions Cup playoff hopes. They will, however, be without star back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who suffered a shoulder injury against the Sharks.
The SHARKS began their campaign with an impressive 39-21 bonus-point win against the Exeter Chiefs at Kings Park, but an understrength side was mauled 56-17 by the Leicester Tigers a week later at Welford Road. That left the Durbanites fourth in Pool 1, one point behind Leicester and five behind French clubs Toulouse and Bordeaux. Coach John Plumtree will pick his best possible team to take on six-time champions Toulouse on Saturday, with Bok hooker Bongi Mbonambi and lock Eben Etzebeth expected to be passed fit.
EPCR Challenge Cup
The LIONS went down 30-14 to Ospreys in Swansea but bounced back with a six-try 43-35 win at Ellis Park against Pau. That five-point haul left Cash van Rooyen's team level with the Dragons and within striking range of the two French clubs above them, with matches against Montpellier (away) and the Dragons (home) to come. One win from those two fixtures should be enough to book a spot in the round of 16.
The CHEETAHS are still looking for their first win in this season's Challenge Cup after a 20-20 “home” draw with French club Perpignan in Amsterdam and a 26-10 defeat in Cardiff. With a tough away fixture against Lyon concluding their pool campaign, the Cheetahs will be targeting a five-point haul against Zebre Parma (who are 15th on the URC log) in Amsterdam on Sunday.
Champions Cup Round 3 fixtures:
10 January
Glasgow vs Racing 92 (10pm)
11 January
Stormers vs Sale (3pm)
Exeter vs Bordeaux (5:15pm)
Sharks vs Toulouse (5:15pm)
Munster vs Saracens (7:30pm)
Stade Français vs Northampton (7:30pm)
Leicester vs Ulster (10pm)
Castres vs Bulls (10pm)
12 January
Toulon vs Harlequins (3pm)
La Rochelle vs Leinster (5:15pm)
Bristol vs Benetton (5:15pm)
Bath vs Clermont (7:30pm)
VIEW: Champions Cup pool standings
Challenge Cup Round 3 fixtures:
10 January
Gloucester vs Scarlets (10pm)
11 January
Perpignan vs Cardiff (3pm)
Vannes vs Edinburgh (3pm)
Black Lion vs Bayonne (5:15pm)
Ospreys vs Newcastle (7:30pm)
Montpellier vs Lions (7:30pm)
Connacht vs Lyon (10pm)
12 January
Cheetahs vs Zebre (3pm)
Dragons vs Pau (5:15pm)
VIEW: Challenge Cup pool standings
Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
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