With five South African teams in the round of 16, SARugbymag.co.za readers are bullish about the prospects of a European trophy coming back to the Republic.
The Vodacom Bulls, Stormers and Sharks are through to the Champions Cup playoffs while the Lions and Cheetahs booked their places in the knockout round of the Challenge Cup.
South Africa’s introduction to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship last season famously ended with the Stormers and Bulls contesting the final, and it appears that memory burns brightly for the majority of fans.
URC chief: SA teams deserve to eat at Champs Cup table
Although almost 47% of those polled on what to expect from the SA contingent contesting the Euro cup competitions predicted the teams would return without a trophy, 53% of vote forecast an SA team would hoist at least one of the cups.
One third of voters expect the Champions Cup to come to the southern hemisphere for the first time in competition history, in the hands of the Stormers, Bulls or Sharks, while 6% backed the Lions or Cheetahs to successfully raid the Challenge Cup.
And almost 15% of voters are anticipating a clean sweep with an SA team winning both the Challenge and Champions Cup.
SA teams turn Euro cups ‘upside down’