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The Investec Champions Cup pool stages will conclude this coming weekend, with several playoff spots still up for grabs.
Only seven teams – Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks, Leinster, Harlequins, Union Bordeaux Bègles, Bristol Bears and Northampton Saints – have secured qualification for the round of 16.
The South African teams, the DHL Stormers, Hollywoodbets Sharks, and Vodacom Bulls, still have a shot at progressing, though it's a slim glimmer of hope.
The trio succumbed to crushing defeats in round three, which subsequently dampened their chances of picking up points.
ATR takes a look at how the three could sneak into the playoffs after last week’s shocking performances.
Stormers must bounce back on home soil:
The Stormers could’ve sealed qualification last week with a win against the Harlequins; however, it wasn’t to be.
Director of rugby, John Dobson, selected a watered-down team, and it was hammered 61-10 by a Quins outfit that was firing on all cylinders at The Stoop. That defeat was the Stormers’ first in all competitions and has placed them in an uncomfortable position.
The Cape Town-based outfit now sits in third place in the pool with nine points and a negative 21-point difference. Behind them are Leicester and the French sides, Aviron Bayonnais and La Rochelle, whom they defeated in the opening two rounds.
The equation is quite simple for Dobson and Co: They need to beat Leicester to progress, and if they do so with a bonus point, they could put themselves in a favourable position for the quarterfinals. A loss, and they’re out.
Dobson won’t tinker too much with the clash and is expected to select his strongest possible side for a clash that could make or break their campaign.
Bulls need a win & a Saints favour:
The Vodacom Bulls are in the trickiest position out of all the SA teams. As things stand, Johan Ackermann’s side occupies last place in Pool 4 with just two points.
They face Pau away from home on Friday night, and a win could get them up to six log points, but the Northampton Saints would need to beat Scarlets for the Pretoria-based side to sneak into the top four.
Saints have already qualified; however, they’ll be playing to secure home-ground advantage, and they’re favourites to beat a Scarlets team that’s in decline.
The Bulls, however, won’t have it easy at the Stadium de Hameau, and a loss could see them finish in fifth place and drop off to the EPCR Challenge Cup. The worst-case scenario is a last-place finish, which would put them out of European action as a whole.
Ackermann is desperate to turn things around and will name a Springbok-laden team in hopes they can get their first win in nine matches and build momentum.
Sharks in a tricky position:
The Hollywoodbets Sharks will be doing several calculations ahead of their final pool clash against Clermont at Kings Park Stadium.
The Sharks have been underwhelming this season, and their form in the Champions Cup has been inconsistent. They occupy fifth place with five points heading into the final round.
The saving grace for the Sharks is that Pool 1 still has two spots up for grabs. Only the Glasgow Warriors and Sale Sharks have progressed, while Saracens and French giants, Toulouse, are still in the hunt.
That makes it a bit iffy for the Sharks because Toulouse faces Sale, while Saracens take on Glasgow. If both outfits win, they will seal the remaining two spots. However, if an upset arises, and the Sharks convincingly beat Clermont with a bonus point, then they could sneak in.
A loss for JP Pietersen’s troops would eliminate them from the competition and possibly keep them in fifth place, guaranteeing Challenge Cup rugby.
The Sharks can’t afford to worry about other teams but need to ensure they get the job done on home soil and hope Glasgow or Sale can do them a big favour.
