South African players made a major impact in the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup, with Clinton Swart and Ernst van Rhyn delivering standout performances despite mixed results for their teams.

Swart Steers Stormers to Victory

On loan from the Pumas, Clinton Swart made an immediate impression on debut for the Stormers. The flyhalf was instrumental in their 26-17 away win over Bayonne, contributing 16 points through four penalties and two conversions. Swart finished the weekend as the tournament’s top point-scorer, leading the charts across all 12 matches.

Van Rhyn’s Defensive Heroics

Former Stormers lock and current Sale Sharks flank Ernst van Rhyn put in a massive shift on defence, making a tournament-high 31 tackles during his side’s narrow 26-21 defeat to Glasgow Warriors in Manchester. His relentless work rate was a bright spot in an otherwise frustrating result for the English side.

Mixed Weekend for SA Teams

While the Stormers secured a gritty win, other South African franchises struggled. The Sharks were outclassed by Toulouse, who ran in eight tries in a dominant performance. Meanwhile, the Bulls fell just short against defending champions Bordeaux, who overturned a 10-point halftime deficit to earn a rare away win at Loftus Versfeld.

Bath, Bordeaux and Stormers fire big shots in Investec Champions Cup

Top South African Performers – Round 1

• Points Leader: Clinton Swart (Stormers) – 16

• Tackles Leader: Ernst van Rhyn (Sale Sharks) – 31

Round 1 Standouts (All Teams)

• Carries: Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle) – 20

• Metres Gained: Josh McKay (Glasgow) – 121

• Defenders Beaten: Jordan Larmour (Leinster) – 7

• Offloads: Gavin Coombes (Munster) – 5

• Tries: Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse) – 3

Despite a tough round for most South African sides, Swart and Van Rhyn’s individual brilliance shows the depth and quality of SA talent on the European stage.

Johann van Graan’s Bath, the Stormers and defending champions Bordeaux made big statements in the opening round of this season’s Investec Champions Cup.

viron Bayonnais and Sale Sharks had the honour of hosting Round 1’s openers on Friday night when they welcomed DHL Stormers and Glasgow Warriors respectively.

Despite unwavering passion, Stade Jean-Dauger’s invincibility finally tumbled for the first time this season. South Africa’s DHL Stormers showed they meant business in Bayonne when Imad Khan went over two minutes into his debut start.

Saturday brought with it a Saracens lesson as they swiped aside ASM Clermont Auvergne, before Union Bordeaux Bègles got their title defence off the perfect start in South Africa.

The reigning champions scored 24 unanswered points in the second half against Vodacom Bulls to complete an historic comeback – they were the first French side to win away at the Bulls’ ring.

Brilliant Bordeaux bulldoze bewildered Bulls

Stade Rochelais and Leinster Rugby both got the better of Leicester Tigers and Harlequins respectively before Bristol Bears had to dig deep to overcome Scarlets by one point.

Closing out Saturday’s action was a masterclass from Bath Rugby. Last season’s EPCR Challenge Cup winners, Bath more than proved why many have them as favourites this year when they flew into a four-try, 18-minute lead at The Rec.

It ended 40-14 to the English side as they look to next week’s trip to RC Toulon.

Finalists Northampton Saints were forced to leave it late by valiant newbies Section Paloise before Stade Toulousain showcased their potential against Hollywoodbets Sharks.

La Rochelle brace for red-hot Stormers in PE

Eight tries, including three for Ange Capuozzo, more than sufficed for Ugo Mola’s men as they out-classed the Sharks 56-19. Oh, and a certain Antoin Dupont made his return to Investec Champions Cup action.

Gloucester Rugby-Castres Olympique and Edinburgh Rugby-RC Toulon closed out a memorable Round 1.

Bordeaux arrived at Loftus as reigning Investec Champions Cup winners and played like a side intent on keeping the crown. The French giants dismantled a disjointed Bulls outfit 46-33, producing a display that was composed, ruthless and dripping with international class, writes Mark Keohane.

And yes – the Bulls somehow led 33-22 at halftime.

The hosts scored five tries in 40 minutes yet never looked in control. The scoreboard offered false comfort and little else.

Bordeaux’s rhythm, tempo and accuracy suggested they were always the side dictating the contest, even when chasing the game.

Bordeaux travelled with 16 internationals in their match-day squad and their stars delivered. With Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert running the game like seasoned Test generals, and with Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey finishing with the brutality expected of world-class wings, the Pretoria crowd saw the gulf between elite European champions and a South African side still searching for cohesion.

It was breathless early on.

Bordeaux were seven points clear inside three minutes. The Bulls replied, faltered, struck back again, conceded again, and then surged with three late first-half tries. It looked dramatic on paper, but on the field the French were calmer, more accurate and operating with a clarity the Bulls could not match.

Jalibert toyed with the defence, his footwork and timing repeatedly opening space for a slick midfield. Bielle-Biarrey crossed twice, Penaud added to his outrageous tournament tally, and Bordeaux’s pack kept supplying clean, quick ball.

Once the second half kicked off, the Bulls vanished as an attacking threat. The champions tightened their grip, erased the deficit, and moved into a commanding lead with the kind of composure that wins knockout matches.

The Bulls had chances to claw it back to a single-score game, but their basics imploded. A crucial line-out was lost, the scrum wobbled, and the handling in the backline betrayed panic rather than purpose. Bordeaux, on the counter, could easily have added more.

This was a thorough reminder of what a title-winning squad looks like. Seven tries, four conversions and a penalty told the story.

Handré Pollard was solid early, kicked four from five, but a yellow card and two poor decisions shifted momentum the wrong way. De Klerk and Moodie worked tirelessly on the wings, and the loose trio put in the hard metres, but collectively the Bulls were outclassed.

And the biggest red flag: defence.

It hasn’t been good in the URC and it was worse here. Too many missed one-on-one tackles. Too little scramble. Too little structure. Bordeaux didn’t so much pick locks as walk through open doors.

With just 7,300 supporters turning up, the Bulls needed to deliver something worthy of their faithful. Instead, they teased with ten minutes of excellence and followed it with forty minutes of confusion and concession.

Bordeaux left Pretoria looking every bit a team chasing consecutive European titles. The Bulls left with more questions than answers, too few of them comforting.

Scorers

Bulls
Tries: Sebastian de Klerk, Reinhardt Ludwig, Akker van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Jeandré Rudolph
Conversions: Handré Pollard (4)

Bordeaux
Tries: Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey (2), Maxime Lamothe, Boris Palu, Matthieu Jalibert, Salesi Rayasi
Conversions: Jalibert (3), Maxime Lucu
Penalty: Jalibert

BULLS – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Marcell Coetzee (c), 7 Reinhardt Ludwig, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.
Bench: 16 Johann Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Jeandré Rudolph, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Stravino Jacobs.

BORDEAUX BÈGLES – 15 Romain Buros, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Nicolas Depoortere, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (c), 8 Temo Matiu, 7 Cameron Woki, 6 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Boris Palu, 3 Carlü Sadie, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Bench: 16 Gaetan Barlot, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Tiaan Jacobs, 21 Arthur Retiere, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Salesi Rayasi.

John Dobson’s super Stormers are starting to dream of Investec Champions Cup glory after a stunning away win against Bayonne in France in the 2025/26 season’s opening round.

The Stormers won 26-17, despite being a player down for the final half hour.

Dobson was thrilled with the win, coming a week after a history-making first win the URC against Munster in Limerick, Ireland.

The Stormers, who are six from six in the URC, return to South Africa to play another French giant, La Rochelle next weekend. It won’t be in Cape Town as the DHL Stadium is not available and the match will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

Dobson mixed and matched for the Bayonne showdown, but pre-match insisted he had picked a match 23 good enough and talented enough to win against Bayonne, who had lost just once at home in the 2024/25 season in all competitions.

Dobson entrusted the talented 21 year-old scrum half Imad Khan to start and the former Bishops pupil and SA Schools star produced a Player of the Match performance. Loose-forward Paul de Villiers, the former SA under 20 captain, was against outstanding, having been the Player of the Match in Limerick a week ago.

WATCH: MATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STORMERS WIN V BAYONNE

Several of the Stormers backs are not regular starting options, which makes the win that much more impressive, but Dobson said it was a credit to the depth within the squad that results like the one in Bayonne are possible without the likes of Springboks Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach and Warrick Gelant, with the backline quartet not in action in Bayonne.

The Stormers made twelve line breaks to Bayonne’s two, but will lament not being more accurate in their finishing.

SA TEAMS CHASE THEIR FIRST STAR

Loose-forwards De Villiers (14 tackles), BJ Dixon (10) and Ruan Ackermann (7) were strong defensively and lock Connor Evans made 11 tackles. Dixon secured five line out takes, the most for the Stormers, and De Villiers’ all-round contribution was impressive, winning two turnovers, one offload, a line break, nine carries, and 21 metres on attack. He also beat four defenders, as did fullback Simelane.

Dixon (70 minutes), Ackermann (48) and Roos (42), were strong in their carries.

AFRICA PICKS: PICK THE STORMERS TO WIN

Clinton Swart, in his first start at flyhalf kicked two conversions and four penalties for 16 points, while fullback Wandisile Simelane made the most attacking metres (94).

The Stormers line out return was 100 percent.

Bayonne:
Tries: Mori, Erbinartagaray, Paulos
Con: Segonds

DHL Stormers:
Tries: Khan, De Villiers
Cons: Swart 2
Pens: Swart 4

DHL Stormers: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Jonathan Roche, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Clinton Swart, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 JJ Kotzé, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adré Smith, 20 JD Schickerling, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Dewaldt Duvenage, 23 Ruhan Nel.

BREAKDOWN OF ALL STORMERS AND BAYONNE”S PLAYER AND TEAM STATISTICS

The Bulls are backing their Boks to bully champions Bordeaux of France in this weekend’s opening round of the Investec Champions Cup, writes Mark Keohane.

Every Bulls player on tour with the Springboks in November will be involved as the Bulls look to maker a statement performance against last season’s champions.

Bordeaux and the Bulls played each other at Loftus in the 2024 Pool Stages, with the Bulls winning a 12-try thriller 46-40. Both teams scored six tries two seasons ago and the difference ultimately proved two penalty kicks.

Handre Pollard, the king of kickers, returns to Loftus for his first start in the Champions Cup in the colours of the Bulls. Pollard’s previous Champions Cup history had been with French club Montpellier and English club Leicester.

Pollard will be significant to any Bulls challenge in the greatest club competition in the world, but it is the potency of a power bench that will be the determining factor in this match.

The starting front row from the Springboks 73-0 against Wales in Cardiff a week ago, are on the bench in Gerhard Steenekamp, Johann Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw. Ruan Nortje, the Boks form lock, is among the replacements, as are Elrigh Louw and Embrose Papier, who have played for the Springboks.

AFRICA PICKS: HOW TO CASH IN ON BULLS, SHARKS AND STORMERS

Louw will start his first match in a year after a lengthy spell out of the game because of injury.

Springboks flyer Canan Moodie links up with Springboks Test Centurion Willie le Roux in a back three complimented by the talents of winger Sebastian de Klerk and current Bok Marco van Staaden joins former Bok Marcelle Coetzee in the back row.

There are 13 Springboks in the match 23, with eight of them part of the Springboks 2025 squads. That includes Elrigh Louw, who was picked in the initial squads but did not play because of injury rehabilitation.

WATCH: KEO & ZELS ON THE BULLS, STORMERS AND SHARKS

The Stormers have also mixed and matched for their opening round at Bayonne, where the hosts only home defeat last season was to the Bulls in the Champions Cup.

Boks back superstars Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse and Cobus Reinach were not considered for the match, given their heavy workloads for the Stormers and Boks over the past two months, but Boks flanker BJ Dixon will play.

The Sharks, who play six-times champions Toulouse, are without several of their current Boks, but will still field a match 23 with international experience.

It is unlikely to be enough to prevent a one-side beating, given the Sharks struggles all season in the URC.

ALL THE WEEKEND’S TEAMS

BORDEAUX BÈGLES – 15 Romain Buros, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Nicolas Depoortere, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (c), 8 Temo Matiu, 7 Cameron Woki, 6 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Boris Palu, 3 Carlü Sadie, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Bench: 16 Gaetan Barlot, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Tiaan Jacobs, 21 Arthur Retiere, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Salesi Rayasi.

INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP LATEST

SOUTH AFRICA’S INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP TRIO CHASE THEIR FIRST STAR

If ever there was a weekend to revisit Johann van Graan’s time at Munster then this is surely the one. And it could be that history is starting to pass more favourable judgement on his time there, and certainly of him as a coach. It should do.

As Bath host Munster in the Investec Champions Cup, in part this view is coloured by what van Graan has achieved at the Rec. On foot of leaving Munster in 2022, van Graan took over a side marooned at the foot of the English Premiership. Their rise since has been remarkable.

They ended that first season with a four-game winning run to finish eighth and qualify for the Champions Cup, where they reached the knockout stages for the first time in ages.

In his second season, Bath reached the Champions Cup knockout stages again and also finished second in the Premiership, only to lose the final to Northampton 25-21. Perhaps the biggest measure of the esteem in which he is held at Bath is that during that campaign van Graan signed a six-year extension up to 2029-30.

The club’s CEO Tarquin McDonald told TNT Sports: “We brought in an exceptional head coach and, really importantly, backed him. He’s a selfless leader. Genuinely it’s about team first and club first, and that’s so important.

“We extended Johann’s contract out to 2030 and the last time we went into a second cycle with a head coach was Jack Rowell, who was with us from ’78 to ’94; our first golden era as we like to call it, and, crazily, since then we’ve never been through a second cycle with a head coach.

“Where we are now, there’s continuity, which is absolutely vital for sporting success.”

The wisdom in that long-term extension was demonstrated last season, when Bath not only topped the table but hoovered up a treble of Premiership Cup (so ending a 17-year trophy drought), Challenge Cup and Premiership, which was their first league title in 29 years.

This is particularly ironic as the main source of criticism directed at can Graan is that his five seasons at Munster were trophyless. Yet, while Munster won the URC title under Graham Rowntree in 2022-23, is that too crude a yardstick?

Van Graan was derided for pointing to Munster’s 80 per cent winning record in his fifth season there. Yet it is true, and it has never been matched in Munster’s three completed seasons since. Indeed, Munster’s 67 per cent winning ratio overall in van Graan’s five seasons at Munster has dropped to 55.5 per cent in the three campaigns that followed.

Munster were also much more consistent, knocking on the door every season in both competitions. They reached three semi-finals and a final of what is now the URC before invariably running into the machine that was Leinster. In the Champions Cup, Munster also reached two semi-finals, a quarter-final and a round of 16. In the last three seasons they’ve had two last-16 exits and one quarter-final after that epic win in La Rochelle. That was their only knockout win in the Champions Cup since van Graan moved on.

His Wikipedia page says: “Van Graan’s Munster legacy is debated”. It adds: “While he took them to five semi-finals and a final, he never won a trophy. Some critics perceived his style as overly conservative.

“However, figures such as Simon Zebo have defended his record, describing Van Graan as a ‘master tactician’.”

Zebo told The Irish Times this week: “He goes into unbelievable detail. I would rate him very highly as a coach. He’s very good at finding little gaps or weaknesses in the opposition and he’s unbelievable at filling you with confidence and detail. He creates a very good environment. I enjoyed working with him and he’s a gentleman.”

Current players and coaches at Munster have said the same these past few weeks. In discussing his time at Munster, Tadhg Beirne told me, without being prompted: “I thought Johann was incredible when he was in there. I thought at times he got a hard rap for what he did, but in terms of the circumstances and what he was producing, it was very impressive.”

Beirne is not surprised by what van Graan has achieved at Bath.

“No, but if you look at his track record at Munster, he was getting us to semi-finals and finals all the time. I thought he was an unbelievable coach.

“I got on unbelievably well with him, and I thought he managed the group quite well. I thought he got the best out of a lot of players. I know, obviously, there’s going to be a lot of players who dislike him, because that’s like any coach, if you’re not playing, I suppose, as well, it’s easier not to like someone.

“I don’t know what the situation was in Munster at the time, but he probably wasn’t able to bring in the people he would have liked to have brought in. But what he achieved with us was still pretty impressive. It’s just you would have liked to have seen him have silverware on top of it, because I think he was deserving of it.”

John Hodnett was given his first Munster cap by van Graan, and admits his view is coloured by that.

“You always remember the coach that gave you your first cap, and he gave me my first cap. So yeah, I’d have good time for him. He’s a nice way about him. He’s a very nice man. He has a good plan in place. He gets good people in.”

Asked about van Graan’s legacy at Munster this week, Denis Leamy said: “Johann is a brilliant coach. He’s very highly rated. One thing that I’ve noticed here, you’ll never hear anyone say anything bad about Johann. He’s always spoken about in a really positive light.

“My own experiences with him have been nothing but insightful and he’s very generous with his knowledge. I worked with him here for maybe three months when I was working with the academy and I just thought he was a fountain of knowledge.

“It’s great to see him push on and achieve such great things with Bath over the last couple of years. They won three trophies last year, so fair play to him. It’s a great sign of his progression.”

Gerry Thornley, Irish Times Rugby Newsletter

South Africa, at Test level, rules the rugby world, but in the Investec Champions Cup, the toughest club competition in the sport, the winning of the golden star has remained elusive for South Africa’s top club trio, writes Mark Keohane.

Toulouse, with six stars (titles), are the most successful club in the history of the Investec Champions Cup. Ireland’s Leinster have four stars and Toulon and Saracens have three each. For the rest, it has been a fight to get on the board and just 13 of the 40 clubs from Europe and South Africa have won the title.

It shows just how tough it is to succeed in the most battle hardened and complex knockout tournament in world rugby.

Saracens and England veteran Jamie George described the tournament as a World Cup knockout played over six months, with each match, from the opening league match, to the final, a knockout.

Home wins, in the league stages are non-negotiable, and wins on the road are as golden as the star the players are chasing.

Northampton’s Saints last season travelled to Pretoria and stunned the Bulls in the league stage, which proved crucial to their play-offs, where the English club won at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin against Leinster, before being edged 28-20 by France’s Bordeaux.

The defending champions are in South Africa to start the defence of their historic first ever Investec Champions Cup title. They play the Bulls at Loftus in Pretoria on Saturday, revisiting the scene of their dramatic 46-40 league defeat to the Bulls on the 20th January, 2024. It is the only time the two teams have met in the competition.

Both teams scored six tries in a 12-try thriller, with Bordeaux finishing the stronger.

Bordeaux, winners of the title in Dublin last season, beat their French rivals Toulouse in the semi-finals, but lost in the final of the Top 14.

The Bulls also lost in the final of last season’s United Rugby Championship, beaten by Leinster in Dublin, and both teams have had an indifferent start to their local competitions. The Bulls are three from six in the URC, having lost their last two matches, including a stunning home upset against the South African Lions last Saturday, while Bordeaux are also three from six in the Top 14, including successive defeats in the past fortnight, at home to Pau (33-34) and away to Montpellier (24-28).

The defending champions have a star-studded international squad with French flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert and flying wingers Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud among the best in the world.

South African prop Carlu Sadie is a regular in the Bordeaux set-up, as is the popular former All Blacks and current Tongan captain and 150 kilogram prime rugby beef Ben Tameifuna.

French scrum half Maxime Lucu is the general of a squad that includes a handful of imports from Australia and the Pacific Islands.

The Bulls, with 20 Springboks, past and present in their Champions Cup squad, will have their imposing Bok quartet of Gerhard Steenekamp (loosened prop), Johan Grobelaar (hooker), Wilco Louw (tighthead prop) and Ruan Nortje (lock), back for the tournament.

All four featured prominently in the Springboks five successive Tests wins in the Northern Hemisphere during November.

Springboks double World Cup winner Handre Pollard is another who will significantly improve the Bulls prospects of being the first South Africa team to wear an Investec Champions Cup star.

The struggling Sharks have the toughest of starts, away to Toulouse this weekend, while the in-form Stormers are in France to play Bayonne, who last season lost just once at home. That defeat was to the Bulls.

For all the latest EPCR Investec Champions Cup News

Follow the news on the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers

Investec Champions Cup fixtures (Round 1, SA times)
Friday, 5 December
Bayonne vs Stormers, 10pm
Sale Sharks vs Glasgow Warriors, 10pm
Saturday, 6 December
Saracens vs Clermont, 3pm
Bulls vs Bordeaux Begles, 5:15pm
La Rochelle vs Leicester Tigers, 7:30pm
Leinster vs Harlequins, 7:30pm
Scarlets vs Bristol Bears, 10pm
Bath vs Munster, 10pm
Sunday, 7 December
Pau vs Northampton Saints, 3pm
Toulouse vs Sharks, 5:15pm
Gloucester vs Castres, 5:15pm
Edinburgh vs Toulon, 7:30pm

ALL THE SEASON’S INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP FIXTURES

The EPCR Challenge Cup returns this coming weekend for what promises to be a landmark 30th season, with action kicking off from 5 to 7 December. Clubs from France, England, Wales, Georgia, South Africa, Italy and Ireland will begin their pursuit of glory as the road to the 2026 Finals in Bilbao officially begins.

The season opener will set the tone in emphatic fashion. On Friday 5 December, Ulster Rugby host Racing 92 at the Affidea Stadium, as two European powerhouses prepare to bring all their experience and intensity to the first clash of the campaign.

Ulster Rugby captain Iain Henderson said, “We are really excited to get our European campaign underway at Affidea Stadium against Racing 92.

“European nights are always special for us, the fans always get behind us, and we have a big French side in town which always brings a lot of excitement. The team is buzzing at the thought and I’m sure we will see some exciting rugby!”

Racing 92 centre Gaël Fickou said: “We are delighted to kick off our Challenge Cup campaign with this opening match of the 2025-2026 season. It’s a demanding start, but one that the whole team is eagerly awaiting. Our ambition is clear: to reach the final stages and show Racing 92 at its best on the European stage. We are proud to represent French rugby.”

On Saturday, 6 December, Lyon Olympique Universitaire will be aiming to go one step further than last season in their quest for a second title, as they welcome Newcastle Red Bulls to Matmut Stadium de Gerland for a primetime showdown.

Lyon Olympique Universitaire scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud said: “It’s always interesting to play against teams from other countries. The style of play is different, it’s a different kind of preparation. We’re looking forward to welcoming them, especially in front of our home crowd.”

Speaking about the club’s history in the competition, Couilloud said: “Even though we have some big games coming up in the TOP 14, we are eager to start a new EPCR Challenge Cup campaign. It’s a competition that means a lot to us. We won it in 2022 in Marseille against Toulon. It was a wonderful memory. The first major trophy for the club since the sport turned professional! Last year, we reached the final at the Principality Stadium, one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. Unfortunately, we lost.”

Also on Saturday, newcomers US Montauban make their long-awaited return to European competition after 15 years away. They will be looking to make an immediate impression when they travel to Zebre Parma.

Two-time winners Montpellier Hérault Rugby begin their own campaign on the road, taking on Georgian invitees Black Lion at Tbilisi’s Avchala Stadium.

On the same day, Cardiff Rugby – another two-time winner – kick off their season with a heavyweight contest against 2017 champions Stade Français Paris at Stade Jean Bouin. Simultaneously, South Africa’s Lions host Benetton Rugby at Ellis Park in what promises to be another fiercely contested matchup.

The action continues on Sunday, 7 December, as USAP and Dragons RFC open the final day of Round 1. Later that afternoon, Ospreys welcome Irish challengers Connacht Rugby, before Exeter Chiefs close out the weekend at Sandy Park against South Africa’s Toyota Cheetahs. The Chiefs will be looking to carry over the momentum from their impressive Gallagher PREM form.

Dayffyd Jenkins, Exeter Chiefs lock said: “We’re really looking forward to the Challenge Cup and getting to kick off our campaign at home is really important to us.

“We know it’s going to be an incredibly tough competition, but we’re hoping to replicate the strong form we’ve enjoyed in the Gallagher PREM to try to progress as far as we can in the Challenge Cup.

“Playing rugby at Sandy Park is a massive boost for us, and we’d love to give our fans an exciting performance in our opening match against Toyota Cheetahs.”

With EPCR Challenge Cup action just days away, fans are already eyeing the EPCR Finals Weekend in Bilbao, on 22 and 23 May 2026 – the biggest weekend in international club rugby.

Demand has been extraordinary, with over 50% of tickets sold for both the EPCR Challenge Cup and the Investec Challenge Cup before the new season even kicks off.

Bilbao is the ideal backdrop for an EPCR Finals Weekend, and supporters are encouraged to act quickly to avoid missing out.  

The global rugby press reaction to the Springboks 73-0 slaughter of Wales in Cardiff was split three ways: awe at the Boks, horror at Wales, and anger at the red-carded Eben Etzebeth.

The global rugby media didn’t so much report on South Africa’s 73–0 demolition of Wales as conduct a post-mortem.

Eleven tries, a clean sheet and a performance dripping with menace left the Welsh press stunned, the English papers grim, and the New Zealanders nodding with familiar respect. For the Springboks, it was another ruthless reminder of the standard they set.

For Wales, it was a national reckoning.

WalesOnline labelled it the “darkest day in Welsh rugby”, a humiliation years in the making. Their writers spoke of sadness and inevitability as a proud Test nation was “pulverised” in its own cathedral.
The Times questioned whether “men against boys” even captured the mismatch, praising South Africa’s precision while condemning Eben Etzebeth’s moment of madness as the only stain on an otherwise brutal masterclass.
The Sunday Telegraph called Wales “pointless” in every sense: a non-contest, a miscalculated fixture, and a record defeat that exposed the gulf in class.
The Rugby Paper described an “avoidable mismatch” that taught Wales nothing about their future and reinforced everything about South Africa’s relentlessness.

From a South African lens, the tone was clinical rather than triumphant.

SA Rugby Magazine, TimesLIVE and Keo.co.za all stressed that this was the full stop on an unbeaten tour and another data point in Rassie Erasmus’s expanding blueprint. Fringe players flourished, structure and brutality blended seamlessly, and the trademark refusal to concede even a consolation point in the 80th minute said more about this team’s identity than the scoreline.

Even in New Zealand, the reaction was clear: NZ Herald credited a “superpower doing superpower things” and noted that South Africa end the year not only as world champions, but as the sport’s pace-setters.

The world didn’t just witness a hiding. It witnessed a statement.
South Africa’s standards are non-negotiable. Their depth is frightening.

And Wales – under-strength, underpowered and overwhelmed.

KEO & ZELS – SIYA’S BOKS PURR WITH PERFECTION 

WalesOnline – “Welsh team crumble in record home defeat”

WalesOnline’s match coverage framed this as the darkest day in Welsh rugby at the Principality: 11 unanswered tries, first time “nilled” at home in decades, and a scoreboard that felt like an execution rather than a contest. Their pieces stressed how under-strength Wales were, but made it clear that selection politics and WRU mismanagement created the circumstances for this humiliation. The tone mixed shock and resignation – the sense that this 73-0 was years in the making. Follow-up reaction columns spoke of “very real sadness” and a tragic unravelling of a proud Test nation in front of its own people. Flashscore+1

Welsh Sunday voice – Nation.Cymru / Welsh reaction

As a distinctly Welsh lens outside the big UK dailies, Nation.Cymru’s weekend take treated 73-0 as a national reckoning. The piece stressed that the result wasn’t just about missing Premiership-based players; it was about a structural decay in Welsh rugby – from pathway to finances – exposed brutally by the world champions. The article highlighted a fanbase oscillating between anger and apathy, a stadium with worrying gaps in the stands and a governing body “out of answers”. It argued that the scoreline must force WRU members to confront whether the current model can produce anything other than more days like this. The Independent+1

The Times / Sunday Times (London) – Steve James

In The Times (from the same London stable as the Sunday Times), Steve James called it “every bit as grim as feared”: a physical mismatch that made “men against boys” feel like understatement. He emphasised the Boks’ scrummage and aerial dominance, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s 28-point masterclass and Wales’ inability to execute even basic set-piece chances. But his central theme was Etzebeth: the eye-gouge described as a “blatant act of thuggery” that soiled a magnificent team performance and will likely bring a long ban. For Wales, he portrayed a low ebb – empty seats, fragile confidence and shallow depth laid bare. The Times

Sunday Telegraph – James Corrigan

For The Sunday Telegraph, James Corrigan’s live report and follow-up hammered home one idea: “pointless Wales”. His copy stressed how uncompetitive the hosts were from the opening scrum, how quickly South Africa’s power game turned into a procession, and how little value the fixture offered anyone by the final quarter. Corrigan underlined that this was Wales’ worst home defeat and first Cardiff whitewash since the 1960s, and questioned the wisdom of scheduling such a mismatch outside the Test window. He also leaned into the Etzebeth incident, arguing that an 11-try rout did not need to be accompanied by such unnecessary nastiness. Telegraph+1

The Rugby Paper (UK) – weekend broadsheet

The Rugby Paper’s headline – “Steve Tandy’s pointless side put to shame in 11-try thrashing” – captured its harsh verdict. Their report stressed how this was a weakened Wales, stripped of Premiership-based players, but insisted that didn’t excuse the scale of collapse. The analysis described South Africa as operating in a different weight division, with their bench alone out-capping the entire Welsh match-day 23. The paper portrayed the game as a damaging non-contest that taught Wales nothing, eroded public faith and raised serious questions about WRU strategy. The Etzebeth red card was the grim coda to what they saw as a “needless mismatch”. Ground News+1

Planet Rugby – Winners & Losers

Planet Rugby’s “Wales v Springboks Winners & Losers” piece leaned into the contrast: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Andre Esterhuizen and the Bok pack among the big winners; Eben Etzebeth and the sport’s image squarely in the losers column. They praised South Africa’s “floor-filling tunes” in attack – the variety of their strike plays and the fluency of a heavily rotated side – and highlighted Esterhuizen as the poster boy of Rassie’s hybrid revolution, this time unleashed as a classic ball-carrying 12. On Wales, the verdict was that an under-powered side were “out of their depth” and that 73-0 will haunt the WRU for years. Planet Rugby+1

Rugby365 – Warren Fortune & Leezil Hendricks

On Rugby365, Warren Fortune’s match report and Leezil Hendricks’ player ratings built a coherent picture: South Africa ended their Nations Series with a “73-0 command performance”, scoring 222 points across the tour and conceding just 51. The site stressed how thoroughly the Boks dominated the collisions and set piece, and how many so-called fringe players enhanced their 2027 World Cup credentials. Follow-up video pieces focused on Rassie Erasmus’ reaction to Etzebeth’s red – Erasmus admitting the card was justified and that “the optics weren’t great”. At the same time, Rugby365 emphasised how ruthlessly the Boks defended their line in the closing minutes to protect the nil. Rugby365+3Rugby365+3Rugby365+3

Keo.co.za – Mark Keohane

On Keo.co.za, your “Andre the Giant & his fellow Boks slay the Dragons” column framed 73-0 as the ultimate expression of Rassie’s “no let-up” mentality. You leaned into the symbolism of the Boks still fighting for a turnover in the 79th minute with the score already at 73-0, arguing that this spoke to the aura and internal standards of this group. The piece highlighted the dominance of the forwards, the impact of Esterhuizen in his new hybrid role, and the statement made by finishing an unbeaten tour with a record win. Etzebeth’s red was acknowledged, but the core theme was character and ruthlessness rather than controversy. KEO.co.za+2KEO.co.za+2

Sunday Times South Africa / TimesLIVE

Within the Sunday Times SA / TimesLIVE stable, coverage underlined the professional coldness of the Bok performance rather than the chaos of the scoreline. The Business Day/Sunday Times reports talked of a “clinical” and “commanding” demolition that completed a clean sweep on tour and cemented South Africa’s No 1 ranking. They emphasised how many combinations Rassie experimented with across Japan, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales, yet still produced an 80-minute performance in Cardiff. The Etzebeth incident was treated as an ugly, isolated flashpoint in an otherwise near-perfect collective exhibition from a side that “simply don’t do dead rubbers”. Business Day+2Sunday Times+2

SA Rugby Magazine – Borchardt & co.

SA Rugbymag.co.za ran a suite of pieces: Simon Borchardt’s “Brilliant Boks demolish Dragons” match report, features on Rassie being “proud of hungry Boks”, Siya Kolisi hoping the red card wouldn’t overshadow things, and a big-picture “Springboks gaze down on rugby world”. The mag stressed that 73-0 was one more data point in a two-year stretch of dominance, not a freak outlier. They homed in on the hunger of fringe players, the work-rate in chasing the shut-out and the seamless integration of youngsters like Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The red card was acknowledged but framed as a disciplinary headache rather than a stain on the team. SA Rugby magazine+3SA Rugby magazine+3SA Rugby magazine+3

AFRICA PICKS: CASHING IN ON THE BOKS

NZ Herald – Kiwi view on a Bok juggernaut

The NZ Herald piece (“Springboks crush Wales 73-0 in historic test demolition”) was a wire-style report but with a clear Kiwi subtext: respect for a rival superpower doing superpower things. It highlighted Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s Llandovery College link and 28-point haul, noted that this surpassed England’s 68-14 as Wales’ worst home defeat, and pointed out it was the first time Wales had been held scoreless at home in the professional era. For New Zealand readers, the article placed the rout in the context of South Africa closing 2025 with 12 wins from 14 Tests, reinforcing the sense that the Boks remain the team to beat in world rugby. NZ Herald+1

Planet Rugby, RugbyPass & others

RugbyPass, Guardian live, ESPN, RTE and TNT Sports all reinforced the same themes: “men against boys”, a structural Welsh crisis, a Bok machine that finishes the year indisputably No 1, and a sour taste from Etzebeth’s red. Many pundits, notably Dan Biggar on TNT, questioned whether such mismatches should continue to be scheduled; others argued it showed exactly why South Africa are on a different tier to every northern-hemisphere side right now. TNT Sports+4The Guardian+4ESPN.com+4

*Compiled by Keo.co.za & ChatGPT (All references verified)

Andre ‘The Giant’ Esterhuizen led the charge at the Principality as the Springboks took the sword to the throat of the Welsh Dragons, Mark Keohane.

Esterhuizen was the official Player of the Match. He was also my standout Boks individual in a performance where numbers one to 23 were outstanding, as individuals, but their potency was the collective as a 15, regardless of who was wearing what number.

Boks coach Rassie Erasmus, post the match, was delighted at the control and clinical nature of the performance, and pleased with the manner in which his players never veered from the disciplined game plan approach of playing the game in the Welsh half, suffocating the Welsh set piece, and also the game management of his halfbacks Morne van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with the latter scoring two tries and kicking nine conversions from 11 attempts for 28 points.

Damian Willemse, at fullback, was equally impressive in how he owned the space at the back.

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi, at the forefront of everything that was strong about the Boks, spoke afterwards of playing the game in the right areas and not been seduced by the team make-up of Wales, who were missing 13 players, or early scoreboard advantage.

Kolisi said they have enormous respect for Welsh rugby and for the fight within the players. The Boks had also been impressed with the first 60 minutes from Wales against the All Blacks, when they trailed 24-21.

Kolisi said the Welsh had shown their pedigree when the game gets loose and opens up and the Boks had to be at their most disciplined not to want to turn the Test into a Barbarians-style match.

Erasmus and Kolisi, as always, kept their focus on the collective, the appreciation of a squad that goes beyond 45 players and the role of each player and management member within the squad.

The Boks coach applauded Kolisi and his players for the powerful finish to a season that totalled 14 Tests and a non-international against the Barbarians in Cape Town to start the season.

Erasmus also said the players and coaches had learned the lesson of the Castle Rugby Championship opener against Australia at Ellis Park, when the Boks led 22-0 playing tempo rugby, only to lose their legs and lose the match 38-22.

There had to be greater balance in how they wanted to play, said Erasmus, but that did not mean sacrificing anything when it was one to attack.

The Boks biggest weapon is their set piece, particularly the scrum, but Erasmus said that weapon could easily be defused by the Boks themselves, if they played too much rugby in the wrong areas and fatigued their powerhouse pack.

‘We learned from that Australian Test,’ he said. ‘That pleased me.’

Kolisi was equally pleased with the manner in which his players fought for turnover ball, regardless of field position or the scoreline, and to see the Boks throw themselves at the breakdown and Welsh ankles and legs to keep the hosts out in the final minute was the measure of the character of these Boks.

The Boks were 73-0 ahead in the 79th minute when they fought to deny Wales a try and won a penalty turnover.

CELEBRATING COBUS REINACH & HIS 50th TEST

BOKS v WALES TEST MATCH REACTION

Scorers

Springboks

Tries: Gerhard Steenekamp, Ethan Hooker, Jasper Wiese, Morne van den Berg, Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Canan Moodie, Andre Esterhuizen, Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth.

Convs: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (9)

BACKING THE BOKS WITH AFRICA PICKS 

WALES – 15 Blair Murray, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Alex Mann, 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Rhys Davies, 4 Ben Carter, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Gareth Thomas.
Bench: 16 Brodie Coghlan, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Chris Coleman, 19 James Ratti, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Ben Thomas.

SPRINGBOKS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Zachary Porthen, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Ben-Jason Dixon, 22 Kwagga Smith, 23 Cobus Reinach.

Springboks No 9 Cobus Reinach plays his 50 Test in Saturday’s season finale against Wales in Cardiff. It is a salute to a remarkable Test career, in which Reinach has shown that patience is a virtue and from patience comes the ultimate rewards, writes Mark Keohane.

I’ve covered enough Test rugby since 1992 to know that some players arrive like fireworks, bright and loud, and then disappear before the smoke has even cleared. And then there are players like Cobus Reinach, who is built on staying power, steel, speed, and a stubborn refusal to ever be counted out.

Reinach’s 50th Test comes 11 years after he debuted for the Boks at Newlands against Australia in 2014. He was 24 then. He is 35 now, and he looks quicker today than he did the afternoon he played his first Test.

That alone tells you everything about the athlete and the attitude.

But to salute Reinach purely as a survivor undersells him because he has thrived wherever he has played, be it in South Africa, England or France, at club level or for the Springboks.

He has done more than most scrumhalves who have ever worn the No 9 jersey for South Africa. Two World Cup titles and a hattrick in four minutes – the fastest in Rugby World Cup history – against Canada in 2019. He has scored 19 tries in 49 Tests.

And then there’s what he has done in the past month: two individual tries, each worthy of its own movie trailer. There was the crucial scorcher against France at the Stade de France in Paris that showcased his straight-line speed, and one as important against Ireland in Dublin, where again instinct and acceleration combined for five points.

Reinach has been electric throughout the Castle Rugby Championship and the November internationals, whether starting or closing out the Test.

Reinach, who made his Stormers debut a fortnight after being part of the Boks’ Rugby Championship title defence, played nine consecutive years overseas, at Northampton’s Saints for four years and then for the past five at Montpellier in France, where he finished on 103 matches. He played 76 for the Saints.

BOKS GO FOR THE KILL AGAINST WALES

He was never a case of  ‘out of sight and out of mind’. He was always a part of the national equation under Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber.

Rassie Erasmus, speaking after the 2019 World Cup pool win over Canada, said: “Cobus is one of the best finishers in world rugby. His speed is one thing, but his attitude is what sets him apart. He never stops working.”

Jacques Nienaber has always maintained: “Cobus brings intensity. Whether he plays ten minutes or 80 minutes, he changes the game. That’s his gift.”

Montpellier’s Philippe Saint-André, upon his arrival at the French club, called Reinach “the fastest scrumhalf in the world – and the most professional player in the squad.”

Teammate Jesse Kriel, ahead of the 2023 World Cup playoffs, said: “Cobus doesn’t age. He trains like a 20-year-old and competes like a Springbok who knows the standard. We trust him with our lives.”

Even the great Aaron Smith, after the Boks beat the All Blacks in Auckland in 2014, commented privately (later repeated in interviews): “That No 9 is rapid. South Africa have something special there.”

WIN WITH THE BOKS & AFRICA PICKS

Everyone who has ever played with him or against him has said the same thing in different ways: Reinach is a game-breaker. You blink and he is gone. You hesitate and he burns you. You switch off and he is already under the posts.

For me, the beauty of Reinach’s Test career is that it hasn’t followed the script. It hasn’t been linear or predictable. He never became the “permanent” Bok No 9, but he became something far more valuable in being the player who can tilt a Test match at any moment, from anywhere on the field. He has been and is a player whose selection is never a gamble, because the return is almost always guaranteed.

KEO & ZELS TALK BOKS AND COBUS REINACH

He is the definition of a 23-man squad player in the modern era: dependable, devastating, disciplined.

Reinach’s route wasn’t easy and many within South Africa felt that he left the country when at the peak of his powers, but he continued to improve at the Saints and Montpellier.

His club mates speak of his lack of ego, his obsession with conditioning, his attention to video detail and his leadership and mentoring of newbies or less experienced players.

Saint-André once joked: “Cobus doesn’t drink wine. He doesn’t eat dessert. He eats speed.”

At 35, playing his 50th Test, he is still eating speed and burning international defences.

When I think of Reinach, I think of the Springboks’ identity under Erasmus and Nienaber, which is one rooted in readiness and not reputation.

There have been exceptional scrum halves playing for South Africa in the past 11 years, which is a statement on its own that Reinach gets to 50 appearances in Cardiff.

Cobus Reinach’s career is a lesson in perseverance, professionalism, and possibility, and a reminder to every wannabe Springboks scrum half in South Africa about consistency and relentless work ethic.

READ SA RUGBY MAG FOR ALL THE BOKS V WALES TEST PREVIEWS

There will be no let off from Rassie Erasmus’s Springboks in their final Test of 2025 in Cardiff against Wales, and that is the attitude there should be from the sport’s best team, the official No 1 team for 2025 and the current World Cup holders, writes Mark Keohane.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has shown Welsh rugby the utmost respect by picking his strongest available match 23 for a Test the Boks are expected to win with a record score.

Wales are without 13 of the players who fronted the All Blacks a week ago, and while the Boks are missing as many, there is no comparison in the quality of depth in both national camps.

Wales have won just two of their last 20 internationals, but there is a high regard within the Boks set-up, especially from Erasmus for what Welsh rugby represents.

There was a time, not long ago, that Wales was smashing the Boks, has been a consistent echoed by Erasmus this week.

In Erasmus’s first tenure as Bok coach, he won just seven from 14 Tests, losing to Wales in Washington DC in his first Test in charge and finishing the season beaten in Cardiff by Wales again.

There was the brutal 16-9 World Cup semi-final win in Japan in 2019, but what followed was a last minute win, via a Damian Willemse penalty at Loftus, a last minute defeat in Bloemfontein and then a tough 30-14 win in Cape Town to seal a 2-1 home series win.

In the past few seasons, it has settled more in Erasmus’s favour and Cardiff has become the happy hunting ground it was for Erasmus as a player.

Erasmus appreciates and recognises tradition and he knows just how passionate the Welsh are about their rugby.

They may be in a slump, but it was only eight years ago and Boks supporters were burning the Boks jersey and Wales were on a winning streak against the Springboks.

Erasmus has honoured the meaning of Test rugby with the strength of his selection, but also showcased how brilliantly he has integrated new squad players, post the 2023 World Cup, and managed the playing demands of veterans he is giving every chance to make it to Australia in 2027 for the challenge of an unprecedented third successive RWC title.

Carifff is a great city for Test rugby fans, none more than the Boks supporters, with so many making the trip down from London and various part of England, Scotland and Ireland.

The Principality Stadium is a rugby cathedral and magnificently impressive in terms of a spectator experience.

I was fortunate to report on the Boks win against Wales in 1996, which was the last time they played at the Cardiff Arms Park, before construction began for the building of the Millennium Stadium, which is now the Principality Stadium, right opposite the famous Angel Hotel, where again I was blessed to stay in the week the Springboks beat the All Blacks in the 1999 World Cup play-off for third place.

Breyton Paulse scored the only try of the play-off.

In my time covering the Springboks and being a part of the management, I have wonderful memories of great wins, even more impressive post-match experiences celebrating and a rich joy at the gift it is to write about and, having been part of, the Springboks.

The 1996 win was sweet and compelling. The Boks won 37-20 in what would be Andre Markgraaff’s last Test in charge.

The next time the Boks beat Wales away from home was at Wembley Stadium in 1998, as the Millennium Stadium had not been finished.

I missed the 1999 once-off visit to the Millennium Stadium when the Welsh stunned Nick Mallett’s Springboks. The Stadium was not yet complete, in terms of the stands, but the day is a historic one for Wales.

I was back with the Springboks under Harry Viljoen, working as Communications Manager, and the Boks won a difficult match 23-13 in 2000. We returned to Cardiff for the last match of the tour to beat a star studded Barbarians 41-31, and then did a Sunday all night season-ending party at the Walkabout in Mary Street. It was glorious.

There were wins for Jake White’s Boks in 2004, 38-36, in a match where Newport-based Percy Montgomery thrived and produced a Player of the Match performance. White’s Boks also won comfortably in 2005 and 2007 and Pieter de Villiers’s Boks enjoyed success in Cardiff in 2008 and 2010.

Heyneke Meyer continued the Boks success story in Cardiff in 2013, but in 2014 his Boks lost 12-6.

This started an unprecedented period of Welsh dominance over the Boks in Cardiff, with Bok coach Allister Coetzee’s team losing in 2016 and 2017.

Erasmus’s Boks lost 20-11 in 2018, but ever since then it has been all South Africa in Cardiff.

Frans Steyn, as a replacement, turned back the clock with a glorious kicking display to engineer a 23-18 escape for the Boks in 2021 and in 2023 Jacques Nienaber’s Boks, en-route to the World Cup, produced the biggest ever win for the Boks against Wales in Cardiff.

The Boks won 52-16 and completed their 2024 season with a 45-12 win.

KEO & ZELS: BOKS TO BURY WOEFUL WELSH

The bookies have given Wales a 38 point start, which means if you bet on them losing by under 38 points you are in the money and if you go with the Boks to win by more than 38 points, you are in the money.

WIN WITH AFRICA PICKS – BACK THE BOKS

If the Boks do win by 38 or more points, then it will represent another record for Erasmus and Siya Kolisi’s already record-breaking world champions.

It’s good to be back in Cardiff, after a decade of missing this match-up from the seats of the Principality’s Press Box.

THE WELSH VIEW 

The city is still humming and selfishly the Boks are the ones on a winning streak and favoured to make it five wins in succession against the Dragons.

READ SA RUGBY MAG FOR ALL BOKS V WALES TEST BUILD-UP

With just over a week until EPCR competition returns, the annual EPCR Club Conference reaffirmed that the club game remains central to the sport’s global future.

Representatives from Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup clubs, joined by influential figures from across the international and professional landscape, convened for two days of discussion and strategic alignment on 24-25 November, reinforcing the message that club rugby is the beating heart of the game.

Established in 2023, this forward-looking forum brings together leaders from across the club rugby ecosystem to share insights, confront shared challenges and identify new opportunities for growth.

This year’s edition once again demonstrated EPCR’s commitment to a truly collaborative model – one that champions open dialogue, collective problem-solving and a united approach to ensuring a sustainable, successful future for the club game.

The conference was led by EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay, who said: “Three years ago when we outlined our new strategy, we wanted clubs to be at the heart of our decision making, and the EPCR Club Conference is an important element in this. Over the last few days, we’ve been joined by representatives from our 42 clubs, eight unions and three leagues, as well as World Rugby. Bringing together these key stakeholders is an opportunity to further strengthen relationships and ensure alignment behind a shared vision for the sport’s future.

“To navigate both the challenges and opportunities ahead, we must continue to work closely and constructively together. Collaboration enables us to make informed decisions for players, supporters and the wider rugby ecosystem. It is the foundation on which we will build the next era of club rugby.

Club rugby is the beating heart of the game. The Club Conference reflects our collective commitment to strengthening these foundations, enhancing the experience for all involved, and ensuring our clubs and competitions continue to thrive.”

The programme highlighted a record-breaking 2024/25 EPCR season, celebrating both on- and off-pitch achievements during its landmark 30th anniversary year. Standout moments included 1.5 million fans attending matches in person – with more than 110,000 at the Finals Weekend in Cardiff – and an economic impact of over €50 million for the host city. The season also delivered record television audiences and a major surge in YouTube viewership, with more than 91 million viewers and a target of reaching 100 million this season. Additionally, two new partners joined the EPCR family: JAECOO and Groupe Apicil.

Investec also reflected on its second season as title partner of rugby’s biggest international club competition, taking a deep dive into the commercial landscape of sport and the opportunities within rugby. This was followed by insights from UK & Ireland broadcaster Premier Sports on its first year working with EPCR competitions, with both partners encouraging open discussion with the clubs.

Abey Mokgwatsane, Chief Marketing Officer at Investec said: “Investec really values being part of this club conference because it brings us closer to the federations that are running the clubs and that are driving the fan engagement, it brings us closer to the broadcasters and it brings us closer to the best practices that makes this competition what it is, which is the best club rugby competition in the world.

“Collaboration is important to make sure you can maintain your world-class credentials, we find that talking to people in different facets of this ecosytem, only enriches what we are able to do as a brand. It drives those partnerships for success.

“What Investec is really looking forward to this season is more fan engagement and more stories. We believe that club rugby is where legends are born. How we tell those stories and engage fans with those stories is something we really look forward to.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming season and beyond, EPCR reaffirmed its commitment to its strategic pillars: sustainability, innovation and expansion, alignment and knowledge-sharing, delivering brilliant rugby, and elevating the narrative of the sport.

Jacques Raynaud, EPCR CEO said: “We are now firmly progressing through EPCR’s long-term strategy, which has delivered record engagement and unprecedented sponsor interest – demonstrated most recently by our signing of Emirates at the level of Premium Partner as Official Airline Partner for the next five years.

“We’re also excited by innovations that fans can expect this season, including Italian-language commentary on EPCR TV for our growing Italian audience, a new in-house fan-friendly ticketing platform, updated TV graphics, and a refreshed digital gaming experience.

“Our focus remains on innovation, responsible growth, and creating long-term value for the entire rugby ecosystem.”

Throughout panel sessions and interactive workshops, attendees explored a range of priorities: commercial growth and financial sustainability, optimising competition formats, boosting stadium attendance, expanding broadcast and digital audiences, enhancing player welfare, and improving the fan experience through ongoing innovation.

Ian Flanagan, Chief Executive Officer at Munster Rugby – who won their first Champions Cup title 20 years ago in 2006, and their second in 2008 – said: “The club conference is really important. Firstly it’s great to have the review of last season and understand what we achieved. But more importantly, we have so little opportunity to engage with our peers and colleagues from the French league and the Premiership, so it’s a good opportunity to spend time together talking about the collective issues we all have to face.

“I don’t think anyone has any doubt about what the Investec Champions Cup means to Munster. It’s the thing that probably we’re best known for all around the world, especially the amazing away days when the Red Army show up. The amount of travelling support we have shows the importance our supporters attach to the competition. And for the players, you can really detect the change in the mood at our training ground when the Champions Cup rolls around.

“This year is the 20th anniversary of our first win and I know it will give an even greater incentive for the current squad and coaching staff to emulate what was achieved back in 2006 this season.

“The conference also showcased two remarkable club stories. Bath Rugby reflected on their historic treble last season and their promotion to the Investec Champions Cup, while Union Bordeaux Bègles celebrated their first-ever EPCR title.”

Jean Baptiste Machenaud, Deputy General Manager at Union Bordeaux Bègles said: “These two days allow us to meet our counterparts from different clubs and different countries, so we always learn from each of them and then prepare for this competition together. We know we’ll challenge each other on the field, but we also know we can collaborate off the field.

“The Investec Champions Cup is important to us. It allowed us to win our first title in UBB’s history. So today, we have stars on our logo, but we also have stars in our eyes when we talk about this competition.”

Tarquin MacDonald, Chief Executive at Bath Rugby said: “The club conference is extremely important. This is about working together to understand the impact we have with the competition and how through collaboration we can create more value for the club, the competition, sponsors and most importantly, the fans.

“It’s the pinnacle of the game, there is so much history and heritage bound up in the champions cup and the challenge cup, they are great competitions. Every player, every club wants to be crowned the best in Europe and I don’t think that will ever change.

“We kick-off with a really fantastic game against Munster. It’s one step at a time. if we can put on a great performance at home and come away with the win, we’ll see where we go from there.

“It’s been a privilege this season, and as we close the chapter on 2024/25 season, we open the chapter on 205/26 and who knows what that will bring.”

EPCR action returns with Round 1 from 5–7 December. As clubs make their final preparations, rivalries spark back to life and supporters gear up to cheer on their teams, the anticipation is already building for another unforgettable season.

Fans are also looking ahead to the EPCR Finals Weekend in Bilbao on 22–23 May 2026, the pinnacle of international club rugby. Demand has been exceptional, with over 50% of tickets already sold before the 2025/26 season has even begun.

Click HERE for all Investec Champions Cup fixtures.

Click HERE for all EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures.

Jurie Matthee knows what a big shadow the likes of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse and the departed Manie Libbok cast at the Cape Town club, but he is ready to make his own mark in the Stormers No 10 jersey.

He has racked up 52 points so far this season from two tries, ten penalties and six conversions to help the DHL Stormers win their opening five league matches.

The prolific fly-half will once again be a key man for the Cape Town-based outfit when they take on Munster Rugby in a top-of-the-table clash at Limerick’s Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

Last season, he was vying for the No 10 jersey with both Libbok and Feinberg-Mngomezulu. With the former having joined Japanese club Kintetsu Liners and the latter away on Test duty, Matthee has really grabbed his chance this term.

The 25-year-old says having worked with the two Springbok stars has really helped develop his own game.

“It’s an opportunity to measure yourself every single day against the guy that’s playing in front of you,” he said.

“You have the privilege of seeing your competition, knowing what they do. It’s quite cool.

“I learned a lot from Manie. The way he kicks the ball with both feet is quite incredible and there’s also his natural ability to go to space. The way he kicked is something specifically I learned from.

“I have been training with Sacha now for a couple of years and what he does on a rugby pitch is incredible.

“He has been playing amazing and is having a great run. He is playing good rugby and is obviously inspiring.

“I have learned a lot from those two guys.

“It’s a very privileged position to be in at the Stormers. You have all these world class players around you. There’s always something you can learn from them.”

As for his own international ambitions, the Western Province product says: “I want to play at the top level, that is my dream.’

“I want to get there, that’s where I want to go.

“How to get there is just playing a lot of rugby now over the next couple of years. You have got to play to become one of the better guys in our industry. It’s our currency.

“You can maybe put pressure on yourself, especially having dreams to play for the Springboks. But I think the best way to get there is just to express yourself and enjoy your rugby.

“I obviously want to get there, but for now it’s just about expressing yourself and getting confident in what you are doing and what decisions you are making as the game driver.”

With Feinberg-Mngomezulu lining up for South Africa against Wales in Cardiff this weekend, Matthee is set to continue as the playmaker for the table-topping Stormers against Munster in a battle between the two unbeaten sides in the league.

“It’s going to be almost Test match-like in wet conditions,” he said.

“I think we are well prepared for what’s ahead. It’s going to be a physical battle, but we are ready for it.

“It’s about getting the momentum right, ending up on the right side of the pitch and scoring points on the board.

“It’s an opportunity to play against quality players and measure yourself against them.

“But, whatever they bring, we will be looking to execute from our side and do what we’ve prepped for.”

The former Stellenbosch University student added: “It’s been a very good start to our season, five wins on the trot. We couldn’t be happier.

“It’s quite satisfying to get the results. You can’t complain too much.

“It’s been so fun implementing a game model that gets us over the line. Everybody has had smiles on their faces.

“Now it’s Thomond Park and we are ready for the conditions and ready to react to what we see and whatever the day brings.”

Sponsorships within South African rugby continue to flourish, with mobile phone giants Samsung the newest arrivals at South African rugby’s carnival of on-field and off-field success.

The partnership forms part of a wider agreement between Samsung and SA Rugby, creating a unified presence across the Vodacom URC in South Africa and the national teams. For the Vodacom URC, the collaboration brings world-class technology directly into the match-day and digital fan experience.

Samsung’s involvement will introduce a range of new touchpoints for supporters, both inside stadiums and online. Central to this will be Samsung’s flagship device, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which leads the partnership’s focus on AI-enhanced imaging and next-generation connectivity. The full Galaxy ecosystem including Galaxy S Series, Z Series, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Ring will also be integrated across activations to elevate how supporters capture and share their match-day moments.

A standout innovation will be Samsung’s AI-powered stadium crowd-cam, a world-first initiative that blends live match footage with fan-generated content in real time. Supporters’ reactions, celebrations and moments of passion will be captured and enhanced instantly, transforming the way fans become part of the Vodacom URC story.

Martin Anayi, CEO of the United Rugby Championship, said: “The South African teams have added immense strength, diversity and global interest to the Vodacom URC, and their success has deepened the connection between the competition and the South African rugby community. Partnerships like this one with Samsung are vital to that growth. Their investment in the Vodacom URC in South Africa reflects a shared belief in innovation, excellence and the power of technology to bring fans closer to the sport they love. We look forward to working with Samsung to continue building the profile of the Vodacom URC and enriching the fan experience across the region.”

Justin Hume, Vice President of Mobile Experience at Samsung South Africa, said: “Through the power of Galaxy devices and Galaxy AI, we’re enabling fans to connect to rugby in ways that feel immediate, personal and deeply immersive. Samsung’s ecosystem brings supporters closer to the action, whether they’re in the stadium or watching from home, and our shared commitment to innovation and progress makes this partnership a natural fit with the Vodacom URC.”