Despite the recent exits of the Bulls and Stormers from the Investec Champions Cup at the last-16 stage, South African rugby legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger remain optimistic about the potential for South African teams to excel in European competition. Although no South African side has progressed beyond the quarter-finals since their inclusion in the Champions Cup in the 2022/23 season, both de Villiers and Burger see a path to victory in future tournaments.
On the Boks Unpacked podcast, Burger highlighted the focus of South African franchises on the United Rugby Championship (URC) as a possible reason for their underperformance in Europe. "I think if that becomes your main focus, it can be. We’re talking SA Rugby is on board, the franchises are on board and you go, ‘I want to target Europe’, I think you can," Burger explained. He posed the challenge that South African teams face in European venues: "The issue is at a neutral venue in Spain, can you beat Bordeaux? That’s going to be your question. The URC teams, you know that you can beat a Leinster, it’s been done before, the unknown is can you beat Toulouse in Europe or can you beat Bordeaux in Europe?"
"That’s a definite yes,"
De Villiers echoed Burger’s confidence in the ability of South African sides to win the Champions Cup, but pointed out the logistical challenges that hinder their success. "You get to a final, neutral venue, I think we can be very competitive and beat a team in the final, the issue is getting there," he stated. The travel demands and the structure of the competition make it difficult for South African teams to secure home games in the knockouts, which impacts their progression.
The discussion also touched on the controversial officiating in the Champions Cup, with Burger emphasizing the need for better education for everyone involved to ensure fair play and understanding across the board. Despite these hurdles, the performances of the Bulls and Stormers in their last-16 matches were commendable, suggesting that they are close to overcoming these challenges. "They didn’t get it over the line at the weekend but arguably the Bulls and Stormers should have won," Burger added, indicating that victory was within reach.
This ongoing dialogue between past legends and current performances enriches the narrative of South African rugby’s potential on the European stage, promising a hopeful outlook for future campaigns.
349 posts
Despite the recent exits of the Bulls and Stormers from the Investec Champions Cup at the last-16 stage, South African rugby legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger remain optimistic about the potential for South African teams to excel in European competition. Although no South African side has progressed beyond the quarter-finals since their inclusion in the Champions Cup in the 2022/23 season, both de Villiers and Burger see a path to victory in future tournaments.
On the Boks Unpacked podcast, Burger highlighted the focus of South African franchises on the United Rugby Championship (URC) as a possible reason for their underperformance in Europe. "I think if that becomes your main focus, it can be. We’re talking SA Rugby is on board, the franchises are on board and you go, ‘I want to target Europe’, I think you can," Burger explained. He posed the challenge that South African teams face in European venues: "The issue is at a neutral venue in Spain, can you beat Bordeaux? That’s going to be your question. The URC teams, you know that you can beat a Leinster, it’s been done before, the unknown is can you beat Toulouse in Europe or can you beat Bordeaux in Europe?"
"That’s a definite yes,"
De Villiers echoed Burger’s confidence in the ability of South African sides to win the Champions Cup, but pointed out the logistical challenges that hinder their success. "You get to a final, neutral venue, I think we can be very competitive and beat a team in the final, the issue is getting there," he stated. The travel demands and the structure of the competition make it difficult for South African teams to secure home games in the knockouts, which impacts their progression.
The discussion also touched on the controversial officiating in the Champions Cup, with Burger emphasizing the need for better education for everyone involved to ensure fair play and understanding across the board. Despite these hurdles, the performances of the Bulls and Stormers in their last-16 matches were commendable, suggesting that they are close to overcoming these challenges. "They didn’t get it over the line at the weekend but arguably the Bulls and Stormers should have won," Burger added, indicating that victory was within reach.
This ongoing dialogue between past legends and current performances enriches the narrative of South African rugby’s potential on the European stage, promising a hopeful outlook for future campaigns.