South Africa here to stay, insist jubilant EPCR bosses

South Africa’s rugby move north will be cemented with full membership of the EPCR next season and the EPCR bosses are thrilled with the country’s impact on the landscape of the Investec Rugby Championship and EPCR Challenge Cup, writes Mark Keohane.

South Africa’s presence adds to the commercial potency of the two competitions and the future growth of what is the toughest and strongest club competition in the sport in the Champions Cup, formerly the European Cup.

The EPCR chair Dominic McKay and CEO Jacques Raynaud were in Cape Town in the last week of March and in a wide ranging interview on the Keo & Zels rugby podcast they spoke enthusiastically of South Africa’s current and future participation in prestigious tournaments that were previously exclusive to European teams.

McKay, the former Chair of Pro14/United Rugby Championship, singled out the rich heritage of the Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup over the past 30 years and especially how embedded South Africa’s players have been in this history, albeit back then in the colours of European clubs.

Toulon, who won the Champions Cup a record-breaking three times in succession were boosted by Springbok icons Bakkies Botha, Bryan Habana, Danie Rossouw, Juan Smith and Joe van Niekerk, with South Africans Michael Claassens and Craig Burden making up a super seven South African contingent.

Saracens, as three-time champions, enjoyed the services of Neil de Kock, Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger and a host of other South African-born and raised players, including England and British & Irish Lions centre Brad Barritt.

Cheslin Kolbe and Ryno Elstadt starred for Toulouse, as did former Sharks No 8 Shaun Sowerby in 2010, and in the early 2000s former Sharks backs Trevor Halstead and Shaun Payne did the business for Munster.

Stuart Abbot had title success with Wasps in 2003/04 final and Heinke van der Merwe won successive finals with Leinster in 2011 and 2012.

Most recently, South African wingers Dillyn Leyds and (now retired) Raymond Rhule were title winners with La Rochelle.

Jake White’s South African-strong Montpellier created history with the club’s first ever European title in 2016 and, in 2021, the club won for a second time in beating Leicester’s Tigers 18-17 at Twickenham. Johan Goosen, player of the final, Jan Serfontein, Paul Willemse, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Robbie Rodgers, Cobus Reinach and Handre Pollard all played in the final.

The Du Plessis brothers (Bismarck and Jannie) and fellow South Africans Jacques du Plessis, Willemse (former South Africa u20 and now French international), Pierre Spies, Frans Steyn, Robert Ebersohn and Demetri Catrakilis all played in the 2016 final.

‘Embedded in that heritage is some incredible South African superstars who have made a real name for themselves in the Northern Hemisphere. As a consequence of being part of these wonderful, historic European clubs. But the evolution of that has been to welcome the South African clubs into the Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup in the last two seasons. And they’ve competed brilliantly,’ said McKay, who  lauded the quality and standard of the respective competitions and the global appeal and interest.

‘It is Test match rugby in club colours and it really is. The players tell us this. The quality and the intensity of a Champions Cup game is extraordinary. The passion on the field is outstanding. Our last finals, we had our final last year in Tottenham, which was incredible. We hosted at a billion dollar stadium (Tottenham Hotspurs) and it was befitting that the final (between Leinster and Toulouse) was in an incredible stadium.’

McKay spoke of the heritage and culture of the competition and how South Africa’s introduction has added to the culture and, in time, will do the same to the heritage of the world’s toughest rugby club competition.

‘There is such a rich history of the competition and with the South African teams joining, it has made such a difference. I had the joy of presenting, as Jacques (Reynaud) did last year, Eben Etzebeth with the Challenge Cup trophy. I know there was a bit of redemption there for the Sharks as they had a tough season in URC.

‘But to walk their way through the hard yards of the Challenge Cup, to get into the final and to win is just exceptional.’

Both McKay and Reynaud emphasised the briefness of South Africa’s participation and the realism that two to three seasons cannot compare with 30 years of familiarity up north.

‘As with the United Rugby Championship, when we first welcomed the SA teams, it is going to take a little bit of time. I think there’s two things. So in Europe it’s 30 years of history, the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup. So it’s well established and well understood by rugby supporters and broadcasters and fans. We’re on a journey just now in South Africa, absolutely. As we were on a journey with URC a few years ago when URC welcomed in those first South African teams. It takes a little bit of time for the rugby public to get a full understanding of how those competitions can work together and the importance of those competitions.’

Reynaud, formerly at Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland, said that historically in Europe there was a recognition that ‘if you want to chase the star, in you want to chase the symbol to be the Champions Cup winner, then you’ve got to work incredibly hard in the competition. But you also have to be strong and successful in your domestic competition. We have seen, in a brief period, that the South African teams can do that, as the Sharks demonstrated in winning the Challenge Cup.’

Raynaud spoke of the uniqueness of an intercontinental tournament between hemispheres, how tough it was initially for teams travelling north or south to get wins, but in the past year, it has started to happen.

‘Initially it was like ‘wow … the travel, the altitude and the physicality of the players and the crowds. It is not easy to win in South Africa. But now, look,Toulouse won in Durban, Northampton won in Pretoria, La Rochelle won in Cape Town and Toulon beat the Stormers at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium,’ said Raynaud. ‘And we have also seen South African teams win up north. The teams have upped their quality and they have become more familiar with the testing and challenging demands of playing in different hemispheres, in contrasting weather conditions. Everyone is learning.

‘Don’t underestimate what an achievement it was for the Sharks to win in their second year of the EPCR Challenge Cup. It is really an impressive feat because of how hard it is.’

McKay reenforced the welcome of South Africa to the competitions and was emphatic of the dimension South Africa has added, on the field and off it.

‘We couldn’t be more proud to have South Africa as part of the Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup. The contribution that you (South Africa) have made from a sporting point of view has been incredible. The contribution you (South Africa) have made from a cultural point of view is equally important to me. I often talk about the importance of the values of rugby. The idea that this sport is more than just the 80 minutes on the field. It’s about everything that wraps around. It’s the values of the game. And that’s best expressed, I think, often by the transport and the movement of fans and travel.

‘It is outstanding and that is something which we as a sport should be very protective of. It’s our unique selling point, perhaps, over other sports. And that idea of cultural exchanges, opportunities for the players to challenge themselves in a different hemisphere, sometimes altitude, is a wonderful experience for a player, for a coach and for the referees.

‘And then there is the destination travel for supporters, and that adds to the wow factor, more so now that South African cities are also a destination.’

South African-born Investec Champions Cup winners​

1. Bath Rugby:

   • Mike Catt – Centre/Fly-Half/Fullback

     • Title: 1998

     • Catt was a key member of Bath’s squad during their victorious 1997–98 Heineken Cup campaign.

2. Northampton Saints:

   • Gary Pagel – Prop

     • Title: 2000

     • Pagel’s experience in the front row contributed significantly to Northampton’s success in the 1999–2000 season.

3. Leicester Tigers:

   • Glen Gelderbloom – Centre

     • Titles: 2001, 2002

     • Gelderbloom was part of Leicester’s back-to-back Heineken Cup-winning squads.

4. Munster Rugby:

   • Trevor Halstead – Centre

     • Title: 2006

     • Halstead scored a crucial try in Munster’s maiden Heineken Cup victory in the 2005–06 season.

     • Shaun Payne – Fullback
     • Title: 2006

5. London Wasps:

   • Stuart Abbott – Centre

     • Title: 2004

     • Abbott played a pivotal role in Wasps’ 2003–04 Heineken Cup triumph, scoring the only try in the final against Bath.

6. Toulouse:

   • Daan Human – Prop

     • Titles: 2003, 2005

     • Human was part of Toulouse’s early Heineken Cup successes.

   • Shaun Sowerby – Number 8

     • Title: 2005

     • Sowerby’s contributions at the back of the scrum were key to Toulouse’s victory.

   • Gurthro Steenkamp – Prop

     • Title: 2010

     • Steenkamp played a significant role in Toulouse’s 2009–10 Heineken Cup win.

   • Cheslin Kolbe – Wing/Fullback

     • Title: 2021

     • Kolbe’s dynamic play was instrumental in Toulouse’s fifth European title.

   • Rynhardt Elstadt – Flanker/Lock

     • Title: 2021

     • Elstadt’s versatility in the forward pack contributed to Toulouse’s success.

7. Toulon:

   • Bakkies Botha – Lock

     • Titles: 2013, 2014, 2015

     • Botha was central to Toulon’s three consecutive Champions Cup victories.

   • Bryan Habana – Wing

     • Titles: 2014, 2015

     • Habana’s experience and speed were crucial in Toulon’s back-to-back titles.

   • Danie Rossouw – Lock/Back Row

     • Titles: 2013, 2014

     • Rossouw’s versatility was a valuable asset during Toulon’s victorious campaigns.

   • Juan Smith – Flanker

     • Titles: 2014, 2015

     • Smith’s leadership and skill were instrumental in Toulon’s successes.

   • Joe van Niekerk – Number 8

     • Title: 2013

     • As captain, van Niekerk led Toulon to their first Champions Cup win.

   • Michael Claassens – Scrum-Half

     • Title: 2014

     • Claassens was part of Toulon’s squad during their victorious 2013–14 campaign.

   • Craig Burden – Hooker

     • Title: 2014

     • Burden contributed to Toulon’s success in the 2013–14 season.

8. Saracens:

   • Neil de Kock – Scrum-Half

     • Titles: 2016, 2017

     • De Kock’s experience and leadership were instrumental in Saracens’ European successes.

   • Schalk Brits – Hooker

     • Titles: 2016, 2017

     • Brits’ dynamic play was key to Saracens’ European dominance.

   • Vincent Koch – Prop

     • Titles: 2017, 2019

     • Koch’s strength in the scrum contributed to Saracens’ successes.

   • Brad Barritt – Centre

     • Titles: 2016, 2017, 2019

     • Barritt captained Saracens to multiple European titles.

   • Schalk Burger – Flanker

     • Title: 2019

     • Burger’s experience bolstered Saracens’ back row during their victorious campaign.

   • Mouritz Botha – Lock

     • Title: 2011

     • Botha was part of Saracens’ squad during their successful 2010–11 season.

   • Matt Stevens – Prop

     • Title: 2011

     • Stevens played a key role in Saracens’ first Premiership title.

9. Leinster Rugby:

   • Richardt Strauss – Hooker

     • Titles: 2011, 2012

     • Strauss contributed to Leinster’s consecutive Heineken Cup wins.

   • Heinke van der Merwe – Prop

     • Titles: 2011, 2012

     • Van der Merwe’s performances in the scrum were vital during Leinster’s successful campaigns.

10. Exeter Chiefs:

    • Jacques Vermeulen – Flanker

      • Title: 2020

      • Vermeulen started in the final, contributing to Exeter’s maiden Champions Cup victory.

    • Jannes Kirsten – Lock/Flanker

      • Title: 2020

      • Kirsten came on as a replacement during the final, aiding Exeter’s triumph.

11. La Rochelle:

    • Dillyn Leyds – Wing/Fullback

      • Titles: 2022, 2023

      • Leyds was part of La Rochelle’s back-to-back Champions Cup-winning teams.

    • Raymond Rhule – Wing

      • Title: 2022

      • Rhule’s performances were pivotal in La Rochelle’s European campaign.

South African born EPCR Challenge Cup Winners

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Montpellier Hérault Rugby:

                     • 2016 Challenge Cup Victory:

                       • François Steyn – Utility Back

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Steyn’s versatility and experience were instrumental in Montpellier’s 26–19 victory over Harlequins in the 2016 Challenge Cup final.

                       • Bismarck du Plessis – Hooker

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Du Plessis provided leadership and strength in the forward pack during Montpellier’s successful 2016 campaign.

                       • Jannie du Plessis – Prop

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Jannie du Plessis’ experience in the front row contributed significantly to Montpellier’s dominance in the 2016 final.

                       • Demetri Catrakilis – Fly-Half

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Catrakilis played a pivotal role in guiding Montpellier to their 2016 Challenge Cup triumph, finishing as the tournament’s top points scorer.

                       • Jacques du Plessis – Lock/Flanker

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Du Plessis was part of the starting lineup in the 2016 Challenge Cup final, contributing to Montpellier’s victory.

                       • Wiaan Liebenberg – Flanker

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Liebenberg’s contributions in the back row were significant during the 2016 campaign.

                       • Henry Immelman – Fullback/Wing

                         • Title: 2016

                         • Immelman’s versatility in the backline added depth to Montpellier’s squad in 2016.

                     • 2021 Challenge Cup Victory:

                       • Johan Goosen – Fly-Half/Fullback

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Goosen’s performance, including a man-of-the-match display in the final, was key to Montpellier’s 2021 success.

                       • Paul Willemse – Lock

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Although representing France internationally, Willemse, South African-born, was a key figure in Montpellier’s 2021 Challenge Cup-winning team.

                       • Nico Janse van Rensburg – Lock

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Janse van Rensburg’s presence in the second row was crucial during the 2021 Challenge Cup victory.

                       • Cobús Reinach – Scrum-Half

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Reinach’s speed and decision-making at the base of the scrum contributed significantly to Montpellier’s 2021 triumph.

                       • Handré Pollard – Fly-Half

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Pollard’s game management and kicking accuracy were vital in the 2021 campaign.

                       • Jan Serfontein – Centre

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Serfontein’s solid defense and midfield presence were key components in Montpellier’s 2021 success.

                       • Robbie Rodgers – Prop

                         • Title: 2021

                         • Rodgers’ contributions in the front row added depth to Montpellier’s squad during their 2021 Challenge Cup run.

                  2. RC Toulon:

                     • Cheslin Kolbe – Wing/Fullback

                       • Title: 2023

                       • Kolbe’s dynamic play and defensive prowess were instrumental in Toulon’s 43–19 victory over Glasgow Warriors in the 2023 Challenge Cup final.

                       • Morne Steyn and Heinke van der Merwe won with Stade Francais in 2017
                       • Quinn Roux won with Leinster in 2012/13
                       • Eugene van Staden won with Biarritz in 2011/12
                       • Juandre Kruger won with Northampton in 2008/09
                       • Nick Abendanon, Butch James, Michael Classes, Peter Dixon & Matt Stevens won with Bath in 2007/8
                       • Grant Esterhuizen won with Clermont in 2006/07
                       • Andre Vos won with Harlequins in 2003/04