EPCR wrap: Joy for Stormers and Sharks, despair for Lions and Cheetahs

It was joy for the coastal franchises, the Stormers and Sharks, as they clinched bonus-point Champions Cup wins over Stade Rochelais and Saracens respectively to keep them firmly in the competition’s playoff hunt.

But it was despair for the Lions and Cheetahs who suffered their second straight Challenge Cup defeats, against Newcastle Red Bulls and Stade Francais respectively, which dealt a hammer blow to their chances of reaching the knockouts.

The Bulls are the last South African team in action this weekend. They play Northampton Saints in England on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 5.15pm SA time).

Stormers

The Stormers are clearly still the team to beat and looked very impressive in their 42-21 win over a weakened La Rochelle in Gqeberha, and the victory should have been bigger over the French former double champions.

The Cape side flew into an early lead with tries to wings Leolin Zas and Dylan Maart, within the first seven minutes, before two more tries were overturned by TMO interventions, which allowed La Rochelle to calm things down and keep them tight over the rest of the half, with the Stormers 16-7 up at the break.

The second half was then an entertaining affair as both teams opened up, with La Rochelle briefly in the hunt at 21-14 in the 50^th minute, but the Stormers soon moved ahead 35-14 after two tries in four minutes and didn’t look back, before eventually securing a comfortable win.

The result means that the Stormers are practically assured of a place in the Champions Cup playoffs, thanks to nine points from their first two games, and a win over Leicester Tigers in Cape Town in January would likely earn them a home playoff.

Sharks

For the Sharks it was unconvincing, but they will be very relieved after picking up just their second win of the season (and their first in the Champions Cup) to keep their playoff hopes alive.

After their fringe team were hammered 56-19 by Toulouse in France in their opener a week earlier, they needed a response, and so they delivered at a wet Kings Park in Durban, with their returning Springbok stars prevalent in the 28-23 result.

A weakened Saracens side made a real game of it and even led 15-7 going into the final five minutes of the first half, before converted tries to Aphelele Fassi and Edwill van der Merwe gave the hosts a 21-15 lead at the break, followed by a tight second half with the Sharks emerging victorious.

The Sharks are thus now on five points and will need at least one more pool stage win, over either Sale Sharks away, or Clermont at home in January, to possibly secure them a place in the knockouts.

Lions

In the Challenge Cup the Lions blew numerous chances against Newcastle before a late try on the fulltime whistle from the hosts dealt the Johannesburg side another loss, going down 14-10, in cold and windy conditions in England.

The Lions desperately needed a win, after losing to Benetton at home in their competition opener, but instead walked away with a solitary losing bonus point after dominating the game and leading for the majority of the match.

A third-minute try to wing Angelo Davids, converted by flyhalf Sam Francis, put the Lions 7-0 up early, and although Newcastle briefly levelled the scores, a 19th minute Francis penalty put the Lions back ahead 10-7, which they took into halftime, although it should have been more.

The second half saw more squandered chances from the visitors, who were made to pay by a 78th minute converted try to Newcastle prop Murray McCallum, which has now left the Lions’ chances of making the competition playoffs hanging by a thread.

Cheetahs

The Cheetahs were no match for French team Stade Francais, as they suffered a heavy 45-22 defeat in Amsterdam.

In a back-and-forth first half Stade Francais raced into a 14-3 lead, before the Cheetahs hit back with tries to hooker Louis van der Westhuizen and outside centre Munier Hartzenberg, both converted by wing Cohen Jasper to give them a 17-3 halftime lead.

The second half then belonged completely to the French visitors, as they ran in four converted tries and slotted a penalty to lead 45-17, before replacement back Jandre Nel went over for a consolation score on the fulltime hooter.

With no points from their first two games, the Cheetahs have almost no chance of making the knockouts, with two tough pool matches against Ulster in Amsterdam and Racing 92 in France to come in January.