Former Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp says the Investec Champions Cup is “like a World Cup”.
Steenkamp has experienced the tournament from multiple angles. He played in the old European Cup during his time in France and later helped guide La Rochelle to Champions Cup glory twice as an assistant coach. For him, the meaning of the competition has never changed.
“It was one of the main reasons I came over,” Steenkamp told News24 from his base in Toulouse. “The European Cup is massive, it’s important for everybody. You play to have that star on your chest. The teams that have won the Champions Cup have a star.”
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That star, Steenkamp explains, carries enormous weight within European rugby circles – a visible marker of having reached the very top.
“I remember when we won the first Champions Cup with La Rochelle in Marseille against Leinster. There came a stage where I couldn’t believe it was happening. I remember when we got our golf T-shirt with the one star, it was everything.”
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Steenkamp believes Champions Cup success sits in rare company, comparable only to winning the sport’s biggest prize.
“It’s like a World Cup, not everybody wins it,” he said. “The reason there’s more value in it for the French, UK and Irish teams is probably because of the old European Cup. Kids grew up watching it and wanting to play and win it. It’s a badge of honour. If you win it, that’s massive respect.”
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