State of the Euro cups: Highs and lows for SA teams

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The Sharks made it two wins on the trot as the DHL Stormers and Lions opened their accounts, but the Vodacom Bulls and Cheetahs suffered heavy defeats before a three-week hiatus in the Champions and Challenge cups.

On a freezing Friday night at Stade Chaban-Delmas, the Sharks recovered from a shaky first half to power to a tense 19-16 win over Bordeaux, while the Lions outplayed Stade Francais in Johannesburg, The Pride scoring four tries to two for a convincing 30-12 victory.

Then, on Saturday evening, the Stormers turned on the style in a superb 34-14 win over London Irish in Cape Town, after an understrength Bulls were earlier blown away 44-14 by the Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

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Meanwhile, a poor first half proved to be the undoing of the Cheetahs as the Free Staters suffered a 45-26 to the Scarlets in Parma.

For a round-up of the weekend’s action, see the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup match centres.

The next round of Champions Cup matches is scheduled from mid-January, when the Sharks and Bulls host Bordeaux (7:15pm) and Exeter (7:30pm), respectively, on 14 January, and less than 24 hours later, the Stormers renew hostilities with the Exiles in London (3pm).

In the Challenge Cup, the Cheetahs will have another crack at Scarlets in Cardiff on 13 January (10pm), before the Lions lock horns the following day with Stade Francais again, this time at Stade Jean-Bouin (3pm).

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Devin Hermanus