South African teams have not covered themselves in glory in the Champions and Challenge Cups this season. Next weekend (January 11-12) presents opportunities for the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, Lions, and Cheetahs to progress in their respective pools and competitions.

All teams have played two matches in their pools and now there is a fortnight of Cup action before the United Rugby Championship resumes.

It is the Last Chance Saloon for the winless Stormers and Bulls in the Champions Cup and the Cheetahs in the second-tier competition.

After a miserable start in all competitions, the Stormers have turned around their fortunes and will fancy their chances of beating Manchester club Sale in Cape Town on Saturday. Sale are packed with South Africans, including the three Du Plessis brothers, Dan, Jean-Luc and Rob, and former Shark Le Roux Roets. Former Stormer Ernst van Rhyn will be visiting his old home ground.

But Sale will be confident, too, after recent big victories over Bristol and Exeter in the English Premiership. The following weekend the Stormers go to Paris to play Racing 92.

The Bulls have a tough challenge as they try to snap a four-match losing streak. They travel to mid-table French Top 14 club Castres. The Bulls are second bottom in their pool on points difference ahead of Stade Francais, who they host when they return from Castres.

Jake White’s team last won a match on October 25 when they beat Benetton in Italy but since then have lost URC games to the Sharks and Connacht and in the Champions Cup, they were surprised at Loftus by Northampton and lost heavily in London to Saracens.

The Sharks are at home on Saturday to arguably the best club team in the world in Toulouse, the current champions of the Champions Cup and the log leaders in the Top 14. The big question is whether they will bring their stars to Durban. It would be a disappointment to the Kings Park crowd if Antoine du Pont, Romain Ntamack, et al are rested although the Sharks won’t complain.

The Sharks are mid-table in their pool after winning one and losing one. They had a good win in Durban against Exeter but a second-string side was thumped in Leicester.

The Sharks travel to Bordeaux the following week.

In the Challenge Cup, the Lions are away to Montpellier and will do well to come home with log points. Their next match is at home to the Dragons and they have to cash in on that one. The Joburgers had a disappointing away defeat to the Ospreys before returning home to beat Pau in a high-scoring, lightning-interrupted game.

The Cheetahs can make up ground next Sunday when they host struggling Zebre. They are perpetual cellar-dwellers in the URC and the Italian Rugby Federation is considering replacing them with another club.

So far in the Challenge Cup, the Cheetahs have drawn at home with Perpignan and lost away to Cardiff.

#jake-white

Pressure on Bulls, Stormers in Champions Cup