The Vodacom Bulls are the only South African team involved in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinals, but there is plenty of South African interest in so many of the other teams competing in this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Back the Bulls to beat Edinburgh in Edinburgh in a match that pits Jake White against good friend and his former coaching colleague Sean Everitt, as well as popular Edinburgh frontrower Pierre Schoeman against his old mates from Pretoria.
There will be no family rugby romance for the Van der Merwes from George, with Edinburgh’s Duhan van der Merwe injured. Older brother Akker, in the colours of the Bulls, will be in Edinburgh, but the one-on-one brotherly collision from those early backyard days won’t happen.
The Van der Merwe brothers both have a cult-like following, Duhan in Edinburgh, which he has made home since leaving South Africa in his early 20s, and Akker, since his return to South Africa after a lengthy spell with the Sale Sharks in Manchester.
Duhan is among the most lethal wingers and finishers in international rugby and was one of the best Scottish players in the recent Guinness Six Nations. He will be missed for Edinburgh, while brother Akker has been vital to the Bulls match-day 23, with his ability to play a starting role at hooker or provide impact in the final quarter.
The Bulls, as they did in beating Bayonne in France in the last 16 a week ago, will rely on their power pack, especially the scrum set piece and the imposing presence of tighthead prop Wilco Louw.
The Bulls, as they did in beating Bayonne in France in the last 16 a week ago, will rely on their power pack, especially the scrum set piece and the imposing presence of tighthead prop Wilco Louw.
Springbok lock Ruan Nortjé’s return last week after a lengthy injury-enforced absence, has added class to the tight five, and there is the huge potential of hooker/prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Loosehead prop Gerhardt Steenekamp has also developed into one of the best in the game.
Johan Goosen’s return from injury brings comfort to the No 10 depth, as well as the goalkicking. Goosen’s experience is also a boost following the injury absence of veteran fullback and playmaker Willie le Roux.
The Bulls win against Bayonne was exceptional, given the latter's home form this season.
The French club had not lost in 12 home matches in all competitions, including beating French powerhouses Toulouse, Toulon and Bordeaux at home.
The Bulls, if successful, should meet Bath in the semi-finals. Bath are coached by South African Johann van Graan and have a host of South African players in their ranks, with versatile prop Thomas du Toit in fabulous form, both in his set piece play and ability to score tries.
Bath, currently the front runners, are favoured to advance to the last four.
Most of the quarterfinal teams in both the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup have a South African player or coaching presence, with the most significant being that of the 2023 World Cup-winning Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber at Leinster and former Springbok turned coach Franco Smith at Glasgow.
Smith has transformed Glasgow in the past two seasons, won the Vodacom United Rugby Championship against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria last season, and guided the Warriors in a hugely successful Champions Cup pool campaign.
Smith’s Warriors have always had a South African sprinkling in the match 23s, with former Stellenbosch University and Griquas winger Kyle Steyn captaining the Warriors to their first URC title.
The Warriors last 16 Champions Cup win a week ago was also a first for the Scottish club.
Nienaber’s introduction to Leinster has also been heralded, with most in and around the squad crediting Nienaber for adding greater balance in defence and attack to what was already a potent attacking force.
Leinster, four times winners of the Champions Cup, have lost the last three finals and have also been beaten in three successive URC semi-finals. They are overdue a title, given the quality and depth of their playing squad and coaching set-up.
Leo Cullen oversees Leinster as the director of rugby, and Nienaber has comfortably stepped into the role of head coach.
Springboks lock RG Snyman, since his move to Leinster from Munster, has been outstanding in the second row and is the offload king in all competitions.
Friday night’s showdown in Dublin is one of the marquee tournament matches, with the other the all-French clash between six-times winners Toulouse and three-times winners Toulon.
Toulouse, who qualified fifth on league points, are in the unfamiliar territory of playing an away quarterfinal, and they will have to do so without their inspirational scrumhalf and captain Antoine Dupont, who was injured in France’s win against Ireland in Dublin in the Six Nations.
The URC starts up again next weekend, with four successive rounds to complete the league stages, but in South Africa, for this week at least, it is all about the Bulls and their charge for glory in the Challenge Cup.
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