Johannesburg — Thursday might prove to be a red-letter day for SA Rugby after it was confirmed that five of the country’s franchises will participate in European Professional Club Rugby sanctioned tournaments — the European Rugby Champions Cup and the lower tier European Rugby Challenge Cup.
The Bulls, Sharks and Stormers are then committed to the elite Heineken Cup next season, while the Lions and Cheetahs will play in the second division Challenge Cup at the same time. Speaking to Independent Media on Thursday, Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli expressed his delight at the announcement, made earlier in the day by SA Rugby, via statement.
“We are excited from a South African rugby point of view,” the former Springbok said. “I think that it is great that we are also now playing against French and English clubs.
South Africa’s top teams ✅
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) June 2, 2022
World Class Players ✅
3 @URCOfficial quarter finalists ✅ #HeinekenChampionsCup ✅
Welcome to @THESTORMERS, @BlueBullsRugby and @SharksRugby – we are so excited to welcome you to our competition 💪 pic.twitter.com/OAFmRmGz9B
“From a Lions perspective, we are also excited because it will lure players to us for these international inter-provincial games. There will be more eyeballs, more commercials and more sponsorships. There will be some quality games coming up in those competitions, combined with the United Rugby Championship (URC).
To qualify for the Champions Cup is our goal,” he added, “but if you look at the teams that play in the challenge cup, there are some very strong teams in that tournament. Winning the challenge cup won’t be that easy.”
Those confirmed teams thus far that the Lions and Cheetahs will face next season include - from England – the Bristol Bears, Newcastle Falcons, Bath and Worcester Warriors; while Pau and Sade Francais account for the early French qualifiers. Connacht, Benetton, Zebre, Scarlets, Cardiff and Dragons will represent the European contingent of the URC.
💥 BREAKING! Five SA franchises will contest the @ChampionsCup and the @ChallengeCup_ next season
— Springboks (@Springboks) June 2, 2022
🗣️ "We can’t wait to get involved as it will only further enhance the local game"
🔗 https://t.co/dsX1AKeTYM@BlueBullsRugby @LionsRugbyCo @CheetahsRugby @SharksRugby @THESTORMERS pic.twitter.com/IXPEJDWdzv
Straeuli also remained cognisant of the logistical realities playing in the Challenge Cup will bring, saying: “It will bring in more money for us and bums on seats, but it is also going to be more expensive for us because we will be travelling as well, plus the extra accommodation.”
There is a ton of rugby to get through next season and next year, including the World Cup in France, and Straeuli explained that the schedule for 2022/23 has not yet been fully resolved.
“The URC is going to fit in first (when the new season starts) and then the EPCR will be between that. “We still need to finalise where the Currie Cup is going to feature and, hopefully, we don’t congest the competitions as we did this year.
Welcome to #ChallengeCupRugby @CheetahsRugby and @LionsRugbyCo 🙌
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) June 2, 2022
We cannot wait to see what you’ll bring to our tournament next season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eECxjbBAr4
"There is still a world cup in September (2023). It is going to be a challenge to participate in everything and to make sure that there is a good spread of rugby throughout the year.”
The Challenge Cup is scheduled tentatively to start in December.
IOL Sport