What a victory for South African rugby that in their inaugural Challenge Cup and Champions Cup, all five teams qualified for the final 16.
Three franchises will also be hosting home playoff matches; the Lions in the Challenge Cup and then the Stormers and Sharks in the Champions Cup, which has replaced the Heineken Cup.
Over the last 18 months there has been an incredible improvement from South African franchises, and the level at which they have been able to compete in their respective European tournaments is further testament to the quality of the United Rugby Championship.
For a long time, I have been punting the value that the presence of South African sides in Europe would bring to both the northern hemisphere and South African rugby. Despite initial resistance, given the history of an exclusively European tournament, it has been wonderful to see the immediate respect from within France and England, whose media, players, supporters and coaches have praised the quality that South Africa has brought to the respective competitions.
To be 20 years old and travelling from a muggy 25ºC match in Durban to the icy fields of England just a week later gives a player Test-level-type touring conditions while they are still in their formative years.
One of the most pleasing things has been the number of youngsters who have come through and shown that they are capable of competing with the best in Europe. Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse is a wonderful example, with the talented youngster finding his form again after a slow start to the season. I’ve loved Boeta Chamberlain’s growth at the Sharks and when it comes to the Stormers, their match squads have been dominated by youth who have performed magnificently.
The guys are getting life and rugby exposure that has never been available at the same level in the history of South African rugby. To be 20 years old and travelling from a muggy 25ºC match in Durban to the icy fields of England just a week later gives a player Test-level-type touring conditions while they are still in their formative years.
Equally, to be able to play against the best players from the Six Nations yearly is experience that cannot be overstated. The beauty is that because the schedule is so convoluted, teams are forced to use their entire squads, back the youngsters and give them a baptism of fire.
It may be because of necessity but it is reaping rewards that can only make South African rugby and the national squad options that much better. Come the Test season, the Springbok squad will comprise some of the most battle-hardened players in world rugby, simply because they’ve had to adapt to such vastly different playing conditions and the most challenging of travel schedules, given they fly to Europe and the UK and Ireland via Doha.
Huge praise needs to be showered on the Stormers, who after beating Clermont in Cape Town last weekend extended their unbeaten run at the DHL Stadium to 20 consecutive matches. The Sharks, who many feel are still not quite fulfilling their potential — given the talent at their disposal — have proved over the last few months that they are a force to be reckoned with at home. They will only continue to build from a strong home base. But for me, it was such a positive seeing the Lions and the Cheetahs make it to the final 16 of the Challenge Cup. Player-for-player, neither squad can compete with the other South African powerhouses, but to be performing so well among their European counterparts is testament to the depth of South African rugby at the moment.
South African rugby is in a good spot, because a culture of success is being fostered at a foundational level. This can only translate to good things come the Test season.
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