END OF THE CUP ROAD

Ousted: SA teams bid farewell to European Championship hopes

- Nicholas Zaal

While the Bulls and Stormers produced worthy showings in their final fixtures of the Champions Cup, the Sharks were in tatters against a far superior Union Bordeaux Bègles and came apart at the seams in almost every department. The Sharks only needed to lose by 28 points to become the last South African team to remain in the competition. Instead, they became mere spectators in Bordeaux and curtailed whatever chances there might have been of a decent weekend of rugby for South African fans, losing 66-12.

The Bulls and Stormers, while also knocked out of the tournament now, at least exemplified South African rugby's never-say-die attitude.