The Stormers have qualified for the Investec Champions Cup last 16, but what a struggle it was at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, writes Mark Keohane.

The Stormers won 39-26, having led 15-14 at halftime.

They scored five tries to four and finished the match through an Imad Khan try and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu conversion.

It may read well, in terms of scoreline, but the performance read nothing like the scoreline.

I had the Stormers to win on my Africa Picks 38-26, and they won 39-26. I expected a tussle but I did not expect the Stormers to be as abject, inept, passive and loose as they were for the first 70 minutes of the match.

It took Feinberg-Mngomezulu getting yellow-carded and the sudden downpour of rain in the final 10 minutes to galvanise the Stormers and showcase the mongrel one has come to expect from this team.

The Stormers are a good side, and they are at their most dangerous when they play with more balance and composure and at a tempo that fluctuates. It is when they disregard all on-field feeling for the moment and just play with all-out attack, that they are more a danger to themselves than the opposition.

The Stormers have star quality in individuals and they have the big moment play-makers, but they are such a frustrating team to watch when they deliver the kind of opening hour that they did at the DHL Stadium.

A crowd of 25 000 paid to watch the Stormers and they left cheerful with the win the prospect of the Stormers hosting a last 16 play-off in April, but they would also have left with more hope than conviction that the Stormers can advance to the final eight or last four of the competition.

This was a performance characterised by inaccuracy in execution and by the predictability of their own supposed unpredictability.

There is no crime in slowing the tempo down on occasions, taking three points, or playing for field position.

It is not boring but intelligent. Equally not every pass has to be the miracle ball.

It was a case of job done, by way of five points, but it was too messy of a job to give comfort to the coaches or instil uneasiness in whoever the Stormers face in the last 16.

Paul de Villers won a third Player of the Match award, Khan made an impact at scrum half in the last 20 minutes, and centre Jonathan Roche was busy on attack and at the breakdown.

JD Schickerling scored a popular try and one for the archives, but the big play moments were secondary to too many minutes of the mundane and the ordinary.

This competition espouses out of the ordinary but at in Cape Town there was just too much ordinary for two clubs of such stature.

If La Rochelle wins against Harlequins on Sunday, then the Stormers will finish second and host a last 16. If Harlequins win, then the Stormers will be on the road, as Leinster and Harlequins would take the top two places.

*The Sharks hammered a second rate Clermont 50-12 in Durban, which was not enough to get them to the last 16 of the Champions Cup. The Sharks won two from four matches, but such was the competitive nature of the Pool, that Toulouse, with two wins from four, would finished ahead of them. A fifth place finish relegates the Sharks to the EPCR Challenge Cup, which they won two seasons ago.

*The Bulls will know their fate on Sunday, but they will be favourites to advance to the last 16, despite getting just one win in four in the Pool stages. The Scarlets must beat Northampton Saints with a try-scoring bonus point away from home to deny the Bulls.

BULLS BEAT PAU

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The Bulls, for now, remain alive in the Investec Champions Cup last 16 play-offs, courtesy of a 26-24 win against Pau in France. The win snapped a seven match losing streak in all competitions.

Jeandre Rudolph, with two crucial turnovers, the second to finish the match after Pau kept the ball for 18 phases, secured the win.

SA under 20 winger Cheswill Jooste scored a sensational try and Handre Pollard nailed the last three conversions, with the third conversion the two points winning differential.

The Bulls made a remarkable 233 tackles to Pau’s 73. They missed 33 to the hosts 10 but in the frantic final few minutes defended 18 phases and turned over the last of seven turnovers won.

Pau conceded 15 turnovers to the Bulls 6.

The home team made 161 passes to the Bulls 60 and beat 31 defenders to the Bulls 10. They were outscored four tries to three.

The Bulls relied on just 30 percent possession, and 60 passes and 29 kicks to Pau’s 24, to show that victory can come packaged without passion or field position, if the counter attack and transition is accurate and potent, as with Jooste’s try.

Bulls starting No 8 Nizaam Carr was outstanding in all facets. He was the top tackler with 23, followed by Marcell Coetzee (21) and Jan-Hendrik Wessels (18). Carr, who scored the bonus point try, carried the most of the Bulls players, with nine, and made the top metres with 48. Winger Jooste was second with 42 metres made on attack, while topping the defenders beaten (five).  The next best was Carr, Zak Burger, Sebastian de Klerk and Coetzee with one each.

De Klerk (38) and Pollard (33) also made an impact in attack running metres.

Ruan Nortje, who played the last 24 minutes, won the most line outs (four).

Halfbacks Burger (10), Keegan Johannes (1) and Pollard (8) combined for 20 of the 29 kicks in play.

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Johann van Graan’s Bath smashed Edinburgh 63-10 at the Recreation to Top their Pool in the Investec Champions Cup Round 4.

Bath, last season, was the EPCR Challenge Cup and the South African coach Van Graan also won the Prem, having lost in the final the season before.

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New Zealand’s Tony Brown will be true and loyal to his Springboks contract of four years, which runs until the completion of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, writes Mark Keohane.

Brown joined Rassie Erasmus’s Springboks coaching staff as backs coach and attack coach in 2024. He has been instrumental in evolving the Springboks attack and back play. The players, senior and new introductions to the squad post the 2023 World Cup, have all endorsed Brown’s impact.

Former Springboks, most notably backs like Jean de Villiers, Percy Montgomery, Butch James and Breyton Paulse, have all raved about the impact of Brown, from a skills perspective, the educational component of space and width and a change of mindset within the squad on attack.

ALL BLACKS HOPING TO LURE BACK BROWN

Brown, who played flyhalf for the Highlanders in New Zealand and All Blacks, also had a spell at the Sharks and Stormers in Super Rugby near the latter stages of his career.

Photo: Getty Images

Brown, as a coach, has mostly aligned with Jamie Joseph, with the duo winning the 2015 Super Rugby title with the Highlanders and then taking charge of Japan. Joseph, a former All Blacks loose-forward, was head coach of Japan and Brown was the attack and assistant coach.

Japan revelled at the 2019 World Cup, which they hosted, and beat Ireland in the Pool Stages. They lost 26-3 to the Springboks in an absorbing quarter-final.

The two also have a strong history with the All Blacks Maoris, both as players and coaches.

Brown is regarded as the leading attack coach in the sport, but he has consistently expressed his joy and pleasure in working with the Springboks and being a part of the Springboks challenge to win a third successive Rugby World Cup.

Joseph and Brown did not apply for the All Blacks coaching position when the New Zealand rugby’s bosses confirmed in 2023 that they would not be renewing All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s contract beyond the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup.

Scott Robertson was appointed All Blacks coach several months before the World Cup but only started working with the squad in 2024. Robertson initially asked Brown to be a part of his coaching staff, but Brown declined the offer, citing loyalty to Joseph, and Joe Schmidt also declined working with Robertson, who had won seven successive Super Rugby titles as coach of the Crusaders.

Robertson appointed Blues coach and former Crusaders teammate Leon Macdonald as his attack coach, but the relationship broke down within two months and Macdonald left. Hurricanes head coach Jason Holland joined Robertson’s staff but also left at the end of last season to return to the Hurricanes as part of the coaching support staff.

Joseph, who coached an All Blacks XV in three successful matches on an end of year northern hemisphere tour in November 2025, is expected to replace Robertson, despite public protests from New Zealand Rugby’s Chairman David Kirk that no one coach had been earmarked to replace Robertson, whose four year contract was ended after two seasons and 20 wins in 27 matches.

Jospeh and Brown are very similar to Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber in how they have so often doubled as a coaching package.

My understanding is that Brown has committed to Erasmus and the Springboks, regardless of the situation in New Zealand rugby, and that he would only consider an All Blacks offer, should it come, post the 2027 World Cup.

My understanding is that there is no escape/out clause in Brown’s Springboks contract to accommodate a move back to New Zealand and the All Blacks pre the 2027 World Cup.

SA Rugby’s leadership, in particular Springboks coach Erasmus, don’t see it as an issue because of the commitment and reinforcement of this commitment that Brown had displayed since taking up his role with the Springboks.

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The Stormers, despite the 61-10 embarrassing loss to Harlequins on Sunday, can still host a Investec Champions Cup Round 16 play-off match if they beat Leicester’s Tigers on Saturday. They are South Africa’s strongest play-off contender.

The Stormers, unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions, before the humiliation at the Stoop, went from leading their Investec Champions Cup Pool to third place. They must beat the Tigers and hope hosts La Rochelle beat Harlequins.

Leinster, thanks to Harry Byrne’s 81st minute penalty to give the hosts a one point win against La Rochelle, will top the Pool with an away win against Bayonne, who have not won a match in this season’s tournament.

The Stormers, on Monday, reported that 20 000 tickets had already been sold for Saturday’s showdown with the Tigers and a crowd in excess of 30 000 is expected in Cape Town.

SALE OWN THE TANK IN BATTLE OF THE SHARKS

The South African teams were humbled, in performance, and, for the Stormers and Sharks, because of team selections. Sharks owner Marco Masotti mocked the Sales Sharks as being Sale Tuna and said there was only one rugby team called the Sharks – his.

But after the weekend, the Sharks belong to Sale and the Tuna is all to be seen in Durban.

 Hollywood Bets Tuna and Stormers punished on the road

It was a bruising weekend for the SA contingent, with all three sides suffering heavy defeats away from home.

The Vodacom Bulls were outgunned in a 110-point shootout as Bristol Bears ran in nine tries to claim a 61-49 bonus-point win at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. It is the second most points conceded by the Bulls in Super Rugby, URC and Investec Champions Cup.

The Crusaders in the 2017 Super Rugby season scored 10 tries and 62 points in a 62-24 win in Pretoria.

The Hollywoodbets Tuna also came up short in Manchester, where Sale Sharks delivered a clinical 26-10 victory to strengthen their position in Pool 1.

In the harshest result of the weekend, Harlequins tore the DHL Stormers apart at Twickenham Stoop, handing the Cape side a brutal 61-10 defeat.

Big names deliver in blockbuster clashes

While the SA teams endured a tough round, Europe’s heavyweights produced drama in the tournament’s standout fixtures.

Leinster Rugby left it late very late with Harry Byrne’s clutch 81st-minute kick sealing a dramatic 25-24 win over old rivals Stade Rochelais.

Defending champions Union Bordeaux Bègles proved too strong for Northampton Saints, pulling away in the second half to win 50-28 in a repeat of last season’s final. Bordeaux led 50-14 until two late Saints tries secured a four-try bonus point for the visitors.

Sarries showed their steel against six-time champions Stade Toulousain, whose late surge fell short as Saracens held on for a 20-14 win in Toulouse’s second defeat of the campaign. They also lost to Glasgow in Scotland.

Bonus-point winners pile on the pressure

There were vital bonus-point wins for several sides and bad news for SA opposition in key pools.

South African coach Johann van Graan’s Bath picked up a crucial bonus point in a 43-20 away win against Castres Olympique, while Glasgow Warriors claimed a famous 33-21 away victory against ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Bristol Bears, Sale Sharks and Harlequins all got try-scoring bonus point wins against the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers respectively.

Down to the wire: Round 4 brings do-or-die pressure

Attention now turns to Round 4, with final qualification spots still up for grabs and quarter-final home advantages on the line. Seven of the 24 teams have qualified, which leaves nine teams playing for the last 16 play-offs and another four playing for the right to a EPCR Play-offs Challenge Cup opportunity.

Pool 4: Top spot still wide open

While three of Pool 4’s sides are already through, the battle at the top is set to explode.

Union Bordeaux Bègles (1st) travel to Bristol Bears (2nd) in a blockbuster clash for first place on Sunday and tries should be guaranteed, with the sides sharing 44 tries so far.

Northampton Saints (3rd) host winless Scarlets as they look to push for second and a home last 16.

Pool 3: Stormers battered as the pool tightens

Leinster (1st) head to Aviron Bayonnais (6th) chasing a fourth straight win.

Harlequins (2nd) travel to Stade Rochelais (4th). If Harlequins win they will finish second and host a last 16 play-off match.

Pool 2: Tight mid-table scrap brewing

Bath are at home against Edinburgh Rugby (2nd) in a clash that could decide the pool.

This Pool is incredibly tight with just one point separating Munster Rugby (4th), Gloucester Rugby (5th) and Castres Olympique (6th).

Munster host Castres, while Gloucester welcome RC Toulon. Every team has a chance to make the last 16.

Pool 1: Sharks and Toulouse face massive clashes

South African coach Franco Smith’s Glasgow Warriors (1st) host Saracens (3rd), while Stade Toulousain (4th) host Sale Sharks (2nd).

INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP LATEST INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM STATS

The Lions are alive in the EPCR Challenge Cup, if only just. But they are alive and can control their own destiny with victory in this weekend’s final round of the Pool stages.

Round 3 of the EPCR Challenge Cup delivered plenty of drama, with key wins for Stade Français, Newcastle Red Bulls and Benetton Rugby. The latter three are all unbeaten.

Montpellier Hérault Rugby produced one of the comebacks of the weekend, scoring 19 unanswered points to edge Connacht Rugby 33-31 in a thriller.

Exeter Chiefs also travelled to Stade Français for a classic encounter, but the French side again struck late to complete another comeback win. Elsewhere, Georgia’s Black Lion picked up their first points with an away victory at US Montauban.

With the third matchday complete, attention now turns to the final round of the pool stages.

The top four teams from each pool qualify for the knockout stages, with 12 qualifiers joined by four clubs dropping down from the Investec Champions Cup.

Pool 2: Lions face decisive showdown in Perpignan

The biggest South African storyline sits in Pool 2, where the Lions are still firmly in the hunt.

Benetton Rugby and Newcastle Red Bulls have already booked their places in the knockouts after three straight wins, but the remaining four sides are still alive in the qualification race.

USAP sit third on six points level with the Lions with the two teams set to clash in Perpignan in Round 4 in what shapes as a decisive, winner-takes-control encounter.

Dragons RFC (5th) host Newcastle Red Bulls, while Lyon Olympique Universitaire (6th) welcome Benetton, meaning the Lions will know exactly what’s required when they take the field.

Pool 1: Montpellier lead as Black Lion eye late push

In Pool 1, Montpellier Hérault Rugby top the standings with 15 points after collecting three bonus-point wins.

They travel to Ospreys (2nd) in a direct shoot-out for first place, with the Welsh side four points back but already qualified.

Zebre Parma (3rd) face a tough test away to Black Lion, who are fifth but full of belief after their bonus-point win at Montauban last weekend. The Georgian side will back themselves to jump into the qualification spots by the end of Round 4.

Connacht (4th) will target nothing less than victory against US Montauban as they aim to lock down the qualifying position they currently hold.

Pool 3: already settled

Pool 3’s fate has already been decided after Stade Français secured maximum points at the weekend.

Ulster Rugby sit second, with Cardiff Rugby and Exeter Chiefs in third and fourth respectively.

The Cheetahs, winless in their first two rounds, could not play Ulster in Amsterdam this weekend because of the snow and ice, which made the field unplayable. As hosts they forfeited the match and Ulster were awarded a 28-0 (four converted tries bonus point) victory.

It ended the Cheetahs challenge.

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP – ALL THE STATS, HIGHLIGHTS & TABLES

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Harlequins turned the Twickenham Stoop into a shop of horrors for a Stormers second-string outfit who may as well have stayed in Cape Town, such was their non-arrival to play a game of rugby in South West London, writes Mark Keohane.

The Stormers were unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions this season, but they gift-wrapped the unbeaten record and handed it to Harlequins in the most charitable way. This was a no-show from the Cape Town-based players.

The Investec Champions Cup is the toughest club competition in the sport, but that is when strength plays strength. When a sub-standard match day squad is put on a plane to mix it with a home team at full strength, the odds favour a blow-out.

What was unexpected was the type of crash we’d see from the Stormers in losing 61-10.

Harlequins, whose players received a letter from the owner earlier in the week saying shape up or ship out, couldn’t have asked for a more generous opponent than the Stormers, who conceded a four-try bonus point within 20 minutes and trailed by 54 points in the 65th minute.

Harlequins, with the win, have qualified for the last 16 of the competition, having won two from three matches, but they went into the match having lost eight matches in all competitions from their last nine. In those eight defeats they conceded on average 41 points a match.

Yet, for 65 minutes, they kept the Stormers scoreless and scored 54 points.

The Stormers started the weekend at the top of the Pool but are now in third place and must beat Leicester Tigers in Cape Town next weekend to qualify for the last 16.

Leinster, who edged La Rochelle with an 81st minute penalty in Dublin, will top the table and Harlequins will end either second or third. The Stormers, with victory against Leicester, would finish second.

ALL THE LATEST INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP REPORTS, STATS AND STANDINGS

The Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson made a decision to rest 11 of his first choice players, who beat the Bulls in the URC a week ago. He felt the players needed the rest to go back to back against the Tigers and then the Sharks in the URC coastal derby.

They may do so, but this was a risk one felt was not necessary from Dobson, in the context of both competitions.

The changes could have been less and the experience of some big names more at the Stoop.

Harlequins were at their lowest and there for the taking. A half-decent Stormers line-up would have got the job done, but the limitations of the match 23 sent to South West London were badly exposed. This was the equal of watching Western Province in the Currie Cup, when they won just one match.

The odd individual fronted, most notably flanker Ben-Jason Dixon, but there was nothing outside of his effort to toast.

The Stormers were feeble in defence and passive in everything they did. They provided a red carpet for Harlequins and treated Harlequins like rugby royalty. In return, Harlequins played like rugby royalty. If you did not know, you would have thought Harlequins were defending an unbeaten 10 matches streak and the Stormers had won one from nine.

I backed the Stormers to win, given how poor Quins have been, but I never for a moment thought the Stormers, unbeaten in 10 matches, would so easily fold.

I felt Dobson could have picked a stronger match 23, with greater balance, won against Harlequins and mixed and matched to get the win in Cape Town against a Tigers team with one win from three matches.

The Stormers, in selections, approach and performance, got it wrong.

It is a result that some would argue is secondary if the Stormers, back to full strength, win next weekend, but any club with the ambition of the Stormers does their brand an injustice in losing 61-10 on the road.

The hammering could have been avoided.

What the match did show is that the Stormers reserve depth, when presented as a collective, is currently not good enough. Individuals within that group of players are good enough when playing with the big boys left in Cape Town to rest their legs and refresh their minds.

Dixon and Damian Willemse are class players but on Sunday that is where it ended for the Stormers.

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BATH’S VAN GRAAN IS THE BIG SA WINNER OF THE WEEKEND

The Bulls continue to be a betrayal to their DNA. They were shameful defensively against a Bristol Bears team that was no better defensively but so much more lethal on attack, writes Mark Keohane.

The Bulls conceded 61 points to a Bristol team, who missed 50 tackles in 184 attempts.

The Bulls missed 27 tackles from 128, but conceded 18 line breaks to the 17 made.

The difference was every second time the Bears made a line break they seemed to score, whereas the Bulls wasted so many opportunities in a match that they always looked capable of winning, despite the charitable defence and the horrors in decision-making.

For any neutral who loves tries, does not care for defence or a set piece and books their Sevens Carnival Tickets a year in advance, this was the stuff of rugby heaven.

The Bulls made 778 metres on attack and Bristol 573 and the Bulls beat 51 defenders and the Bears 27.

For those who appreciate the quality of the Investec Champions Cup, the quality that defines defensive lords of a try line, this was like watching something from another league.

There were 16 tries scored, but there were about 16 effective tackles made in the 80 minutes.

Bristol scored nine tries and the Bulls scored seven, but the hosts were always chasing a game after conceding three tries and 21 points in the first eight minutes.

Altitude and fatigue looked to have done a dirty on the Bears on 35 minutes, with them leading 42-28 but with the legs much weaker than the scoreboard.

The Bulls attacked with a minute to go, but another mistake from one of the leaders in the Bulls, this time flyhalf Handre Pollard, led to an intercept and an 80 metre Bristol try. It was a 14 point swing, not the first of the match, and that proved decisive in the final five minutes when the Bulls were denied two tries through an ankle tap and being held up on the try line.

The Bulls’ game management, like their defence, was non existent. How so many quality Springboks, 10 members of the current world champion and No 1 Springboks, look so inept, disinterested and devoid of desire on defence is not so much a mystery but a confirmation that playing for the Bulls right now is getting a salary and playing for the Boks is getting a legacy.

The most senior Boks failed themselves and the Bulls once again in the most naive and humiliating manner.

It is one thing for a bunch of kids to make such rookie mistakes but to see some of the most experienced players in Springboks history, double World Cup winners, so comfortably show a disregard for the principles of defence and attack, was numbing.

KEO & ZELS: GETTING IT SO WRONG WITH THE BULLS

Something is rotten in Pretoria and at Loftus.

SA RUGBY MAG REPORTS ON BRISTOLS WIN V BULLS

It has to be when a team can so easily concede on average 50-plus points in their last three home matches.

The Bulls, in all competitions, have lost seven in a row.

Bristol are on a seven-match winning streak.

INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP MATCH CENTRE: BULLS & BRISTOL TEAM & INDIVIDUAL MATCH STATS

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The Bulls travel to France to play PAU next weekend to determine who finishes fifth in the Pool Stages.

The Bulls have lost all three round robin matches, two at home, in the Investec Champions Cup.

The worst “points conceded at Loftus Versfeld” stack up (Super Rugby / URC / Investec Champions Cup), from highest to lowest, based on match reports / match-centre sources

1) Crusaders 62 – Bulls 24 (Super Rugby)

• Date: 6 May 2017
• Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
• Why it matters: This is the heaviest “points-against” number at Loftus in the pro era across the comps you named. ESPN’s match report notes the Crusaders scored 10 tries in the 62–24 win. ESPN.com

2) Bristol Bears 61 – Bulls 49 (Investec Champions Cup)

• Date: 10 January 2026
• Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
• Why it matters: This is now the worst Bulls concession at Loftus in the Champions Cup (and second-highest overall on this Loftus-only list). SuperSport+2Rugby365+2

3) Bordeaux-Bègles 46 – Bulls 33 (Investec Champions Cup)

• Date: 6 December 2025
• Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
• Why it matters: Before Bristol’s 61, this was the big Champions Cup damage at Loftus in the current cycle. Rugby365

Sale Sharks were never threatened in winning 26-10 against South Africa’s Sharks in Manchester. The result was predicable the moment the visitors sent a second-string team for the much hyped battle of the Sharks, writes Mark Keohane.

The owner of the Durban-based Sharks, Marco Masotti, has consistently ridiculed the Sales Sharks as nothing more than Sale Tuna, taking to social media saying there is only one rugby team with a Sharks identity, and that is his team, but Masotti’s boast was as limp as the Sharks performance on Saturday night.

Sale led 7-3 at halftime, extended that to 19-3 before adding the bonus point try in a comfortable second half performance.

The match, for the most, was not easy on the eye. The weather conditions did not make for a spectacle, but the error rate and poor decision-making were trademarks of a turgid evening, in rugby speak.

For Sale it was a great evening in getting five league points and advancing to the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup.

Masotti’s Sharks, who lost the first round away to Toulouse, won at home against Saracens. They must beat Clermont, winless in three rounds, in Durban to advance to the last 16.

Sharks coach JP Pietersen made 14 changes to the starting XV that lost at home in the URC to the Lions and the youngsters, while committed, braved and dogged, were simply not good enough to beat a home team who were sub-par for most of the match.

Sale will battle to go beyond the last eight, given their player limitations, and it will take some effort for the Durban Sharks to win away from home in the play-offs, regardless of who they play.

The Investec Champions Cup should be a finishing school of the highest testing, but too many teams turn it into an Academy fixture on away trips.

Those teams who win the competition or make it to the final four have consistently played their best teams in away games and backed a mix and match to win at home. Think Toulouse, Leinster, Toulon, Saracens, La Rochelle and last season Bordeaux.

This season the Saints, last season’s finalists, went to Pretoria with their best possible line-up and won their Pool fixture. It set them up for the competition. Bordeaux, this season, did the same thing to the Bulls in Pretoria. So did Bristol on Saturday in putting 61 points past the Bulls in Pretoria.

Bath took their best team to Castres and won on Friday night.

There is no coincidence in who is winning away from home, when one looks at the match 23s selected.

The Durban Sharks missed a trick in Manchester. They have a frontline group good enough to have won on Saturday night. Instead, the most senior players, several of them current Springboks, watched from the comfort of their homes, with summer temperatures in excess of 30 degrees.

The youngsters who battled in Manchester may be the wiser for the experience, but it does little for the club’s identity or brand when they keep on sending second stringers to take a beating in Europe, especially when they have won just three from eight matches in the URC.

Sharks v Sharks – Investec Champions Cup: match statistics 

Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup – latest news SA Rugby Mag

*The Lions, having led 28-7 midway through the first half, scored a 78th minute converted try to edge France’s Lyon 42-33 at Ellis Park for a first win the EPCR Challenge Cup pool stages.

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Bath’s South African Director of Rugby, Johann van Graan, promised that this would be the season the club made a statement in the Investec Champions Cup. They delivered on that promise in France on Friday night by defeating Castres.

Bath, the reigning EPCR Challenge Cup and English Premiership champions, were brutal in their destruction of the hosts, securing a convincing bonus-point win.

The English side scored six tries in what ended up being a statement performance on the road.

They clearly put the disappointment of their Round 2 defeat to RC Toulon behind them as they were back to their best in Castres.

Despite going behind early on and then again soon after, Johann van Graan’s men proved too strong as they limited the French side to just three points in the second half.

“I’m really happy with our cohesiveness”, Van Graan said post-match.

“We stuck to our plan, played against the wind in the second half, we defended our line really, really well.”

The coach went on to recognise the importance of a six-try showing:

“Getting that bonus point is massive”, he said.

It was a feeling shared by Investec Player of the Match Alfie Barbeary, who was equally delighted with the five points.

“It’s a big competition and every point is crucial”, he said.

“To get a bonus point here is huge.

“You need that extra point, especially if you look at the group there’s some fierce competition there.”

Fly-half Finn Russell had a solid game from 10 as he kicked over 13 points despite some challenging conditions.

“It was great to get the five points”, the Scot started.

“We didn’t start off that well conceding a try and a couple of yellow cards, but the performance was good.

“Coming away to Castres is one of the hardest places to go, so it was good that the boys dug in and got the win.”

Next up for Bath is a rematch of their EPCR Challenge Cup semi-final from last year against Edinburgh Rugby. Both them and the Scots secured the five points tonight, so it’s promises to be a cracker next weekend.

This is the big one for the Bulls. They must beat Bristol to remain a part of the Investec Champions Cup competition. Don’t invest too much energy in the Sharks visit to play the Sale Sharks in Manchester. They will lose.

The Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has picked his best available squad to beat Bristol’s Bears in Saturday afternoon’s match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

All his available Springboks are in the mix, with a potent pack the feature selection. Then there is the experience of double World Cup winners Handre Pollard (flyhalf) and Willie le Roux (fullback).

The Bears have won both their Pool matches in the Champions Cup and have won seven from nine matches in the Prem. They have won their last six matches, while the Bulls have lost their last six matches.

Keo & Zels, in their Rugby Podcast, are tipping the Bulls to break the losing sequence and win well at Loftus.

JP PIETERSEN: WE ARE IN MANCHESTER TO WIN

Zels is confident the (SA) Sharks can go to Manchester and stun the Sale Sharks. Keo is giving the visitors no price, with the Sharks having sent a second-string mach 23 to Manchester. They will be shredded and sent back to Durban as canned Tuna.

The Sharks are backing a win in Durban next weekend to complete their Pool matches and qualify for a Top 16 play-off.

Home wins are non-negotiable in the Investec Champions Cup and away wins are gold, as we saw with Johann van Graan’s Bath and their five points against Castres on Friday night. Northampton Saints and Bordeaux, last season’s finalists, have also won big away from home, the Saints beating Pau in the opening round and Bordeaux magical in keeping the Bulls scoreless in the second half and winning 46-33 in Pretoria.

The Stormers, unbeaten in their opening two rounds, including a win against Bayonne in France, has not lost in 10 matches in all competitions this season, and they have rested the core of their primary match 23 squad for Sunday’s visit to Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop.

Harlequins have won just two from nine Prem matches, but they are one from two in the Champions Cup.

FOR ALL THE LATEST IN THE INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP

INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP
VODACOM BULLS vs BRISTOL BEARS (Saturday, 3pm)

BULLS – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Sergeal Petersen.

AFRICA PICKS: Pressure builds across Champions Cup pools

BRISTOL BEARS – 15 Rich Lane, 14 Noah Heward, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Bill Mata, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Santiago Grondona, 5 Joe Batley, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 3 George Kloska, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Max Lahiff.
Bench: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Jimmy Halliwell, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Benjamin Grondona, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Sam Worsley, 23 Matias Moroni.

©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Christiaan Kotze

HARLEQUINS vs STORMERS (Sunday, 3pm)

HARLEQUINS – 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Nick David, 13 Luke Northmore, 12 Bryn Bradley, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Lucas Friday, 8 Alex Dombrandt (c), 7 Jack Kenningham, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Simon Kerrod.
Bench: 16 George Turner, 17 Will Hobson, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Elliot Williams, 20 Zach Carr, 21 Tom Lawday, 22 Max Green, 23 Jarrod Evans.

ALSO: Champions Cup preview (Round 3)

STORMERS – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Damian Willemse (c), 11 Luke Burger, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Louw Nel, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 1 Oli Kebble.
Bench: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Alex Groves, 20 Wandile Mlaba, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Clinton Swart, 23 Mfundo Ndhlovu.

©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Thinus Maritz

STORMERS LEAD THE SA CHARGE IN INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP

SALE SHARKS vs SHARKS (Saturday, 7:30pm)

SALE SHARKS – 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Obi Ene, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Tom Curry, 7 Sam Dugdale, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ernst van Rhyn (c), 4 Ben Bamber, 3 James Harper, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Bevan Rodd.
Bench: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Willgriff John, 19 Tom Burrow, 20 Hyron Andrews, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Gurshwin Wehr.

MORE: Sale fired up by Sharks owner’s ‘tuna’ taunt

SHARKS – 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Jurenzo Julius, 11 Le Roux Malan, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Nick Hatton (c), 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Tinotenda Mavesere, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko.
Bench: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Vincent Tshituka, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Ceano Everson, 22 Jean Smith, 23 Marnus Potgieter.

©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Steve Haag

©INPHO/James Crombie

If you want to know why the Springboks have won the most World Cups, have a look at Saturday’s two South African URC derbies in Durban and Cape Town. South African rugby was the winner, writes Mark Keohane.

It was brutal knockout rugby that showcased the mental toughness of South Africa’s players when they play for something that means something to them.

What matters most to South African rugby fans is winning the World Cup, beating the All Blacks and England and winning the local derbies.

France and Ireland are ‘nice to have wins’ and have rarely been a hyped occasion, outside of the past few seasons, but the All Blacks are always the big occasion.

In domestic rugby, it is the local derby, specifically when the Stormers play the Bulls. The Lions and Sharks are big matches, and part of the derby fabric but traditionally when one talks north v south or south v north it is the Bulls v Stormers or the Stormers v Bulls.

In Cape Town, in front of 54 000 at the DHL Stadium, the occasion justified the traditional hype. Form was irrelevant, the Stormers nine successive wins in all competitions and the Bulls’ five successive defeats, meant nothing. On derby day, it is only about what happens between the first and last whistle.

The Bulls started with 10 of the current Springboks squad and the Stormers started with seven of the current Springboks squad. All 17 players delivered on their pedigree in the most testing of atmospheres and demanding of conditions as the big Cape wind blew with enthusiasm and vigour.

The defence on both sides matched the presence of the wind, but ultimately the Stormers bench proved superior in the final few minutes and the decisive match-winning try came from a line out maul. The Stormers had turned down two kickable penalties at posts in the final five minutes and opted for the potential of five points.

They got the five pointer to break the 8-all deadlock and lead 13-8 with 30 seconds to play. They then defended their line for the final Bulls play and forced an error from Springboks Test veteran and Test centurion Wille le Roux.

There will be plenty said of referee Griffin Colby, who awarded 30 penalties, split evenly between the two teams. Colby struggled with the occasion, was out of his depth and in the first five minutes on three occasions apologised to both teams for his errors. This allowed for every player to believe they had the right to ask for another apology. Colby never recovered and it was not his finest 81 minutes. Hopefully, he will be better for the experience.

In Durban, in the early game, big name players had moments, but the decision-making and game management let down the hosts, who refused kickable penalties at posts to extend a 22-18 lead to 25-18.

And the Lions, like so many good Springboks teams, refused to go away. They tackled and defended and when they got one chance in the final play of the game they made it count with a winning five pointer.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus would have loved the match-ups. Big pressure moments tell you more about a player than 73-0 wins in Cardiff.

KEO: HOW I CALLED THE STORMERS WIN BUT GOT DONE BY THE LIONS

Individually, there were lots of winners, as many losers, but most pertinently, there was a collective victory for the mental strength and state of the South African domestic game.

URC LATEST: ALL THE STATS AND REPORTS

SA RUGBY MAG LATEST ON SA’S URC QUARTET

Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images

Lions scored a try after the hooter to beat the Sharks in Durban.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

Round 9 of the United Rugby Championship takes centre stage this weekend, and all attention will be on a sold-out Cape Town Stadium, where the unbeaten Stormers take on the Bulls in a clash that could shape the South African race to the playoffs.

Stormers vs Bulls – top billing in the South

The Stormers have been near-flawless this season, winning all seven of their matches to sit atop the URC table. With a potent mix of youth and Bok firepower, John Dobson’s side has made Cape Town a fortress. Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have led the charge on attack, while a hardened pack provides the platform.

The Bulls arrive with just three wins but with renewed belief after their win over Saracens in Europe. With Handré Pollard at flyhalf and the experience of Willie le Roux at fullback, they have the weapons to strike. If they can match the Stormers physically and slow their tempo, they’ll fancy a shot at an upset.

Expect fireworks: the last five meetings between these sides have all been decided by fine margins, and with both chasing playoff spots, neither can afford a slip.

STORMERS – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Bench: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.

BULLS – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Reinhardt Ludwig, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Devon Williams.

Sharks vs Lions – must-win for both

Elsewhere in South Africa, the Sharks host the Lions in a Durban derby loaded with tension. The Sharks have shown signs of revival under interim coach JP Pietersen, with recent wins over Saracens and the Bulls injecting belief into a season that started poorly.

The Lions have had flashes of brilliance and just enough consistency to stay in the playoff hunt but a loss here could undo the progress made over the past month. Wessel Roux’s arrival as forwards coach is a key shift, and his pack will need to front up against a Sharks side that’s regained its bite.

Weather could play a role in Durban, with rain forecast around kick-off, which may favour the home side’s more structured approach.

SHARKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Manu Tshituka, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Nick Hatton, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Siya Masuku.

AFRICA PICKS: URC Round 9 – Keo’s Accumulator

LIONS – 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Bronson Mills, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (c), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze.
Bench: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Edward Davids, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Darrien Landsberg, 21 Siba Qoma, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Richard Kriel.

Irish interpro battles heat up

In the north, Ulster and Munster meet in Belfast on Friday in a clash with top-four implications. Ulster boast an unbeaten home record this season and lead the competition in total points scored, while Munster sit second on the table despite a frustrating recent loss to Leinster.

Leinster, meanwhile, host Connacht at the Aviva in a fixture they’ve dominated in recent years. The defending champions have quietly built momentum after a slow start, winning six in a row. Connacht are in danger of slipping further after five losses in six and will need a dramatic turnaround to halt their Interpro losing streak.

Round 9 fixtures

Friday, 5 January

Ulster vs Munster – Kingspan Stadium, Belfast

Saturday, 6 January

Leinster vs Connacht – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Stormers vs Bulls – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town (sold out)

Sharks vs Lions – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

Munster’s failure to beat Leinster in Limerick means the Stormers end 2025 to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, three points ahead of Munster and with a game in hand.

Click Here To View Vodacom URC Team Stats

Top Players From R8

Carries: 25 Fletcher Anderson (Scarlets)

Defenders Beaten: 7 Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors)

Lineouts Won: 8 Tom Ahern (Munster Rugby)

Metres: 131 Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby)

Passes: 95 Aled Davies (Cardiff Rugby)

Tackles: 28 Harri Deaves (Ospreys)

Overall Top Players After R8

Carries: 123 Alun Lawrence (Cardiff Rugby)

Defenders Beaten: 33 Jacob Stockdale / Sebastian de Klerk (Vodacom Bulls)

Kicks in Play: 67 Gareth Davies (Scarlets)

Lineout Steals: 7 Alex Soroka (Leinster Rugby)

Lineouts Won: 42 Marvin Orie (Hollywoodbets Sharks)

Metres: 490 Sebastian de Klerk (Vodacom Bulls)

Passes: 550 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)

Tackles: 113 Harri Deaves (Ospreys)

Tries: 6 Louis Lynagh (Benetton) / Werner Kok (Ulster Rugby)

Turnover Won: 11 Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma)

Overall Top Team Season Totals

Carries: 1255 Glasgow Warriors

Defenders Beaten: 208 Glasgow Warriors 

Kicks in Play: 248 Cardiff Rugby

Metres: 3683 Glasgow Warriors

Points: 231 Ulster Rugby

Tackles: 1307 Dragons RFC

Tries: 33 Ulster Rugby

Turnover Won: 57 Munster Rugby

Visits To 22: 108 Glasgow Warriors

Siya Kolisi’s homecoming to Cape Town next season, aligned with the signature of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is the biggest of salutes from Stormers coach John Dobson and the club’s owners to their local support base. Christmas has come for the Stormers.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s renewal and contract extension from 2027 to 2029 was the biggest statement of the new ownership, Red Disa Investments, bearing in mind that Damain Willemse’s big signature was secured just before the new ownership.

SASHA’S SIGNATURE THE BIGGEST STORMERS STATEMENT

The signings of so many talented youngsters, coupled with Springboks Cobus Reinach and Wilco Louw, made for the best transfer news for Stormers supporters.

Then, on Tuesday, the 23rd December, came confirmation that the King of Cape Town Rugby, Springboks World Cup-winning captain Kolisi, would be returning home to Cape Town to be closer to his family and to the club he holds so dear in his heart, the Stormers.

It all began for Kolisi professionally as a rugby player in Cape Town and he is one of the elite club of Stormers Centurions.

Kolisi played 118 matches for the Stormers between 2011 and 2021 and 34 matches for Western Province in the same period.

Kolisi, since leaving the Stormers, had stints at the Sharks, Racing 92 and back at the Sharks, but everything suggested a return to Cape Town is what he wanted most, and the Stormers leadership, through coach Dobson and owner Johan le Roux, have facilitated the perfect final chapter to Kolisi’s rugby-playing career.

Few would counter the view that Kolisi deserves nothing less than to write his own final chapter, between now and the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. He deserves every bit of goodwill and belief that he is getting from the Stormers decision-makers.

The Stormers, seven from seven in the 2025/26 URC season and two from two in the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup, have enjoyed an unprecedented start to their season.

The signature of Kolisi cements the most glorious of month’s for the club.

Kolisi was all humility and gratitude to the Sharks for granting him an early release.

And rightly so.

Kolisi, who played his 100th Test for the Springboks in November, will add enormous value to the Stormers, as a player, a leader and a mentor.

ALL THE REPORTS: SIYA’S RETURN TO THE STORMERS

Stormers Rugby CEO Johan le Roux said: ‘Siya is a national icon who has such a strong connection to our team and our supporters. He is also a family man who wants to be there for his children as much as possible.

‘These are values that resonate with our club and given the significance of our heritage in defining where we want to go, we are very happy to welcome Siya back to hopefully see out his career in the jersey he wore when it started.

Kolisi said that returning to Cape Town is a significant moment for him and his family.

‘I have such incredible memories of my time at the DHL Stormers, the way I was embraced by the fans in my formative years has never left me.  My family is in Cape Town and it is important to me to be close to them. This move gives me the chance to do that while also giving back to the team and fans who made such a big contribution to the player and person I am today.

‘I am looking forward to contributing in any way I can to the future success and happiness of this special club and its incredible supporters,’ he said.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said: ‘We have got an outstanding crop of loose forwards in our squad and a number of very strong young leaders, with the last three Junior Springbok captains all on our books.

‘Siya will be able to help develop these players and mentor them in a way that nobody else could, given what he has achieved and what he represents to all South Africans and especially our fans.

‘We are very aware of the load that he has carried professionally and personally over the last few years, but what is so encouraging is the way that he has bought into helping us reach the goals we have set for ourselves in developing our squad as we build towards Project 2029.’

Perfection, in results for the hosts in Cape Town, as the Stormers went  7-from-7 in the URC, and redemption, in terms of hope, for the Sharks in Durban, writes Mark Keohane.

The perfect Stormers were imperfect in scoring five league points against the Lions. The Stormers won 34-27 at the DHL Stadium, and the Sharks made it two from two in all competitions in finishing off the Bulls in an intense South African derby in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

The Stormers close out 2025 as the form team in the United Rugby Championship, going 7-from-7 to finish the year top of the URC table with 32 points from a possible 35. Add their two wins from two in the Investec Champions Cup, and the Cape side are nine-from-nine across all competitions, with six victories coming away from the DHL Stadium. No team in Europe or South Africa has matched the consistency, travel resilience, or mentality of this Stormers squad.

Screenshot

The Stormers’ success is built on a culture that doesn’t crack under pressure.

Even when off the boil for long periods of the 80 minutes, they find a way. Even when the rhythm is disrupted, the leadership and belief remain. This is a team that defends like champions, attacks with confidence, and wins when they’re not close to their best which is the mark of a genuine title contender.

The signing of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu until 2029 is another statement of intent.

STORMERS OWNERS MAKE A STATEMENT

The Springboks’ breakout star of 2025, a Test match general with the temperament of a veteran and the skills of a modern match-winner, has committed to Cape Town for the long term. His presence anchoring the next generation is as significant as any result this season. The future of Stormers rugby looks settled and bright.

Saturday at the DHL Stadium also delivered a moment of significance when Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu met Stormers and Springbok icon Percy Montgomery.

The original ice-cold No 15, whose boot carried South Africa to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, meeting the new face of Stormers playmaking was a passing-of-the-torch moment Cape Town supporters will remember.

But Cape Town wasn’t the only South African rugby city celebrating.

In Durban, the Sharks beat the Bulls in front of a capacity Kings Park crowd, delivering their best performance of the season.

It was physical, composed, and emotional, with Siya Kolisi’s influence visible in every collision and every carry.

Andre Esterhuizen was immense again, imposing himself with the same brutality and precision that has defined his 2025 season for club and country.

Credit also go to JP Pietersen, only a fortnight into his early coaching leadership but already bringing clarity, calm, and a winning edge to the Sharks.

A World Cup winner in 2007, Pietersen’s understanding of big-occasion rugby was obvious as the Sharks controlled the derby with intelligence and impact.

The final weekend of 2025 showcased everything that defines South African rugby: big crowds, powerful derbies, world-class players, and teams capable of beating anyone, anywhere.

With the Springboks ending the year ranked No 1 in the world, and the Stormers ranked No 1 in the URC, South Africa dominates both the Test and club landscape.

ALL THE LATEST URC REPORTS AND NEWS

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images

Red Disa Investments, the owners of the Stormers, made the biggest statement in securing the signature of Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu until the end of the 2029 season.

This is a club, based in the most sought after tourist city in the world, with an ambition to be the most sought after rugby club on the planet, and a club whose players are among the sport’s hottest property.

Right now, none is sizzling more than Feinberg-Mngomezulu, a home grown talent, whose signature was secured to 2027, but who now will remain in Cape Town beyond 2027 as part of the Stormers and coach John Dobson’s project to make the Stormers the No 1 club in the sport.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu could have picked the city of his choice, in South Africa or anywhere else in the rugby playing world, as his next club-rugby home base. It is the biggest compliment to Dobson and the Stormers owners, led by CEO Johan le Roux, that the very best of the Cape Town-born and raised players want to remain at the Stormers.

Le Roux, among the Red Disa ownership, doubles his role as the CEO. He has been transparent in the past year that the club ethos was not going to be one of throwing money at big name players for the sake of it.

The club ambition is such that the right players would be sought and retained. It is about culture and understanding the club, its supporters and the history of the Stormers.

Local talent will always be a priority, keeping the local talent at the club aligns with this priority and, where possible, another investment would be bringing back in-form big names who had previously played for the Stormers.

Wilco Louw, the most destructive tighthead scrumming prop, is returning to the Stormers, having last played for the club in 2017. Louw transferred to London’s Harlequins and then to the Bulls. He is the most sought after tighthead in world rugby.

The Stormers got him for the 2026/27 season.

They also got Springboks scrumhalf Cobus Reinach to return to South Africa after nearly a decade playing for the Saints and Montpellier in England and France. They did this and kept SA under 20 halfback and local lad Imad Khan, who was the Player of the Match in the Investec Champions Cup match against Bayonne in France.

Damian Willemse, Evan Roos and BJ Dixon all committed to staying in Cape Town and there has been investment in the leadership and playing qualities of former SA under 20 captain Salmaan Moerat and veteran loose-forward Deon Fourie. Coaching pathways have been created for club icons Brok Harris and Dewald Duvenhage and an intense and detailed talent identification programme has ensured the best of the young brigade remain in Cape Town.

Outside backs Leolin Zas and Suleiman Hartzenberg are part of the future, so too midfielder Jonny Roche and flyhalf Jurie Matthee and utility flank/lock Connor Evans.

Paul de Villiers, another former SA under 20 captain, is thriving as the successor to Fourie, whose early season was cut short through injury.

Dobson also secured SA under 20 rugby captain and SA under 19 cricket captain Riley Norton’s signature, as well as the prized schoolboy asset Markus Muller, who matriculated from Paarl Gim a month ago. The prop resources are huge, from club centurions Frans Malherbe and Neethling Fouche, to the most exciting young talent in the country, including prop Zach Porthen, who made his Springboks debut a month ago, at just 21 years-old.

KEO & ZELS PREVIEW THIS WEEKEND’S DERBIES 

The Stormers Academy runs for the first time in a decade, but is streamlined and without freebies. There is a non-negotiable attitude toward youth, a refusal to bin experienced players because of age, and a crafted battle plan in how to maximise the legs and minds of those players the wrong side of 30.

Ruhan Nel and the Du Plessis cousins, Dan and Jean-Luc, Seabelo Senatla, Ali Vermaak and Scarra Ntubeni are very highly regarded.

BLUE & WHITE DELIGHT FOR STORMERS & adidas 

Local is LEKKER is a real thing at the Stormers, among the players and coaches.

Of the current squad, 24 were schooled locally.

Dobson is a Cape rugby pureblood. This city province and club has been his home from the moment he played. His father, the late Paul Dobson, was an internationally celebrated rugby historian, Western Province referee and Master at Bishops for 30-plus years.

Dobson was born into Cape rugby.

He understands the Cape rugby landscape like no other coach in this country. He lived it as a schoolboy, club and provincial club player and did his entire rugby coaching apprenticeship within the structures of the Stormers. He coached the juniors at Western Province, the seniors at Western Province and finally the Stormers, who he guided to the URC title in its inaugural season.

The CEO Le Roux breathes local rugby. He attended Paul Roos.

STUNNING STORMERS REBRAND IS A REBOOT

The Stormers home support base is the best in the country, in crowd attendance, in social media interest and among the most popular among broadcast statistics.

Cape Town is consistently ranked as one of the most visited tourist attractions by overseas travel publications and travel critics.

Cape Town is also home to the Stormers and the city and rugby club are a match made in marketing heaven.

KEO’S URC DERBY WEEKEND ACCUMULATOR – AFRICA PICKS

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