The Stormers and Bulls suffered narrow defeats in the Champions Cup round of 16 last weekend, but their fightback signals a new era for South African teams. The Stormers lost 28-27 to Toulon in France, while the Bulls fell 25-21 to Glasgow Warriors in poor conditions. Amid northern hemisphere criticism of their involvement, these efforts are shifting perceptions.
The Stormers lost 28-27 to Toulon in southern France last Saturday. They camped on Toulon's tryline late with the French side down to 13 men, but lock Adré Smith's grounding attempt was not awarded due to unclear evidence. Toulon's Charles Ollivon, possibly offside, prevented a clear view.
Stormers coach John Dobson expressed frustration with the officials. "Ollivon is clearly inside the field of play on the ground. I believe Adré got it down," he said. Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu admitted he could have attempted a drop-goal: "I probably could’ve dropped into the pocket."
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann praised his team's character after their 25-21 defeat in Glasgow's foul conditions. "I’m extremely proud of the players and the effort they put in. A lot of players were sick, but they fought," he said, mentioning Harold Vorster and Handré Pollard.
These performances mark a shift from past submissiveness in EPCR tournaments. The Stormers sit second in the URC with 51 points and host Connacht on April 18. The Bulls, eighth with 40 points, face the Dragons on April 17. Both now target URC play-offs.
