South African Rugby teams must balance it out at the Investec Champions’ Cup against their European opponents. Investec Champions is a war of heavy weights. The top opponents for South Africa’s franchise teams are the French who are at the top fourteen, the leading sides from the URC and England’s elite from the Premiership make up the Investec Champions’ Cup. Over the last thirty years it has been the finest from among Europe’s rugby teams have fought for the most prized gold medal in the annals of professional club rugby. The Champions’ Cup is the ultimate challenge, with players and coaches having to balance their premier domestic league ambitions with a tournament in which every pool match is the equal of a playoffs’ eliminator.
Now into its 31st season, the Champions Cup is the toughest club tournament in the game. Last season’s beaten Vodacom URC finalists the Bulls, in-form URC log-leaders the Stormers and the star-studded, Springbok-infused Sharks lead the South African charge, which last season faded before the playoffs. There is expectation that this season, South Africa’s first as a fully-fledged member of the EPCR, the South Africans will come to the playoffs party. No one is applauding participation anymore. South African supporters, so used to success in every competition, demand something tangible in the Champions Cup. Many South African players have won the Champions Cup for European teams. Springbok icons Bryan Habana and Bakkies Botha were voted as the best in their respective positions to ever play in the tournament in its first 30 years. The fans made that call, such was the impact of Habana and Botha at French club Toulon.
Now for a South African team win.
The spectators of all teams are being ridden with adrenalin for the competitiveness and outcomes of the Champions Cup. South Africa’s major provincial rugby teams, the Bulls, the Sharks, the Stormers etc are themselves going to give a challenge that the other teams will have difficulty competing against. Then again, the European side should also not be underestimated. Rugby is a rough sport but the Champions Cup is the roughest variety of rugby in the professional domain. The Springboks infused with the Sharks have to juggle their combined skill and strength to contest against the English, French, Germans, Spanish and other professional European clubs. The Bulls and Stormers to have to be steady and firm on this toughest of tough rugby Sports roads. The finest of South African Rugby will have to face the most significant European Forces in a challenge of skill, talent and courage. This is going to be a match that will determine the faith of sportsmen on the field.
The Springboks have had their opportunity to beat the English Rose three times in the course of this year. Only one game was drawn, although this was a match the English could have won.
The game’s only try from Willem Alberts came from an outrageous piece of luck, while captain Chris Robshaw’s decision to kick a penalty with less than 120 seconds on the clock and England four points adrift was simply bizarre. England had the better of the opening half but just as in losing to Australia last week, their handling and decision-making let them down despite plenty of attacking possession and territory. A move involving Joe Launchbury, Alex Goode and Chris Aston was the pick of the first-half action, but Toby Flood’s kick into the corner went dead. As it was three penalties from Patrick Lambie against two from Flood gave the visitors the edge at the break.
The game’s key moment arrived two minutes into the second half as South Africa turned down a kick at the posts and put a penalty into the corner. The ball was dropped and Ben Youngs hacked forward, only for the ball to hit JP Pietersen’s shin and ricochet towards the line.
Playing or winning any professional sport requires skill, talent and luck –sheer dumb luck – Luck is what the English seem to have had in their last game against the South Africans. Rugby is itself a very intense as well as rough sport. There is never ever going to be an opportunity to tell which way the pendulum will swing. The out come will have all spectators’ eyes on the pitch. The game is being played. At first it would appear to be going in favour of one team’s side, then the other. The English side with Launchbury, Goode and Aston would come in strong after their previous mistakes and failures. Flood and Lambie brought their own unique talents and manoeuvres to the rugby pitch.
Professional Rugby is not just intense it is brutal. The right manoeuvre between your opponents and the ball could spell the difference between not just winning and losing but career and certain injury. Anything can happen and being ready for it can be just as important as Pietersen being body ready to block the ball. Winning can go just about any way depending on the manoeuvre or fate.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
