State of the Euro cups: SA teams primed for playoffs

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The DHL Stormers, Vodacom Bulls and Sharks will be at home, while the Lions and Cheetahs will take to the road as SA’s full contingent qualified for their second run in the EPCR playoffs.

In the Champions Cup, the Stormers will host holders La Rochelle in Cape Town in a replay of their 16 December meeting, while the Bulls welcome French Top 14 outfit Lyon to Loftus Versfeld around the weekend of 5 to 7 April.

Meanwhile, after finishing as the top-ranked team in Pool 1 of the second-tier Challenge Cup, the Sharks face fellow Vodacom URC opponents Zebre Parma at Kings Park.

The Stormers secured a playoff at Cape Town Stadium on the back of an exhilarating 24-20 victory against Stade Francais in France on Saturday night, while the Bulls clinched a home last 16 clash following a 46-40 win over French outfit Bordeaux-Begles in Pretoria.

The bonus-point win for the Stormers in Paris elevated John Dobson’s men to second place in Pool 4 and earned the Capetonians the right to host a last-16 tie for the second successive season.

Already qualified for the playoffs heading into the clash against Bordeaux, the Bulls finished second in Pool 1 and will host their first playoff in the Champions Cup.

In a wrap of the remaining sides in the last 16 of the Champions Cup, four-time winners Leinster claimed a home tie in the next round, beating Leicester Tigers 27-10 on Saturday to maintain their unbeaten record in the pool stage. Three-time former winners Saracens and French giants Racing 92 also progressed, along with Vodacom URC title-holders Munster.

The Sharks will make their maiden appearance in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup, capping off their pool commitments with a 29-9 triumph over Dragons in Wales on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the Cheetahs and Lions advanced to the playoffs, finishing third and fourth in their groups, respectively, despite both teams completing their Challenge Cup campaigns with nail-biting defeats.

Leading 27-21 with 80 minutes on the stadium clock, the Cheetahs lost 28-27 to Oyonnax in France on Saturday, before the Lions relinquished a four-point lead at half time to go down 38-28 against Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Cheetahs have to travel to face Clermont at Gabriel Montpied Stadium in the knockout stage, while the Lions will tackle Italian contenders Benetton in Treviso.

Photo: Dave Winter/INPHO/Shutterstock

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