State of Euro cups: SA sides travel in last 16

The round of 16 lineups for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup have been confirmed.

Investec Champions Cup

The STORMERS held off an understrength Leicester Tigers at Cape Town Stadium to secure safe passage into the last 16 of the Champions Cup. However, they finished third in Pool 3 after Harlequins upset La Rochelle and will travel to Toulon in the first week of April.

READ: Sacha hails Stormers’ resolve

The SHARKS put 50 points past winless Clermont at Kings Park, but it was not enough as Toulouse thrashed Sale and Saracens avoided a big defeat to the Glasgow Warriors. The Sharks and Sarries both finished on 10 points, but the London club had a superior points difference (+13 to –10). The Sharks now drop down to the EPCR Challenge Cup and will travel to Cardiff for their last-16 clash.

JP: Sharks showed killer instinct

The BULLS lost their opening three pool matches, including a 61-49 mauling from the Bristol Bears at Loftus, but kept their playoff hopes alive with a 26-24 win against Pau in France on Friday night. They qualified when the Scarlets lost away to Northampton on Sunday and will travel to Scotland to take on the Glasgow Warriors in the last 16.

KEO: Gutsy Pau win reignites Bulls belief

Investec Champions Cup Round 4 results
Pau 24 Bulls 26
Bath 63 Edinburgh 10
Sharks 50 Clermont 12
Bayonne 13 Leinster 22
Stormers 39 Leicester Tigers 26
Toulouse 77 Sale Sharks 7
Munster 29 Castres 31
Gloucester 14 Toulon 31
Bristol Bears 15 Bordeaux 27
Northampton Saints 43 Scarlets 28 
La Rochelle 17 Harlequins 27 
Glasgow Warriors 28 Saracens 3

Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 fixtures
Bath vs Saracens
Leinster vs Edinburgh
Glasgow vs Bulls
Toulouse vs Bristol Bears
Bordeaux vs Leicester
Toulon vs Stormers
Harlequins vs Sale
Northampton vs Castres

EPCR Challenge Cup

The LIONS and CHEETAHS failed to qualify for the playoffs, although the Joburg-based side came close. A 20-20 draw against Perpignan in the Lions’ final pool match saw them finish on the same number of points as the French side but miss out by a points difference of only +7.

EPCR Challenge Cup Round 4 results
Dragons 35 Newcastle 12
Ulster 26 Stade Français 19
Black Lion 14 Zebre Parma 28
Perpignan 20 Lions 20
Connacht 75 Montauban 14
Ospreys 26 Montpellier 31
Exeter 31 Cardiff 0 
Lyon 19 Benetton 38
Racing 31 Cheetahs 28

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