Road to the Round of 16

Three South African rugby teams are vying for success in the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16. The Emirates Lions secured their spot by finishing fourth in their pool, boasting two wins out of four matches. Meanwhile, both the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Vodacom Bulls qualified through their fifth-place finishes in their respective Investec Champions Cup pools, showcasing the depth of South African rugby talent on the European stage.

Key Matchups

• Friday: Emirates Lions vs. edinburgh at Hive Stadium,London.
• Saturday: Vodacom Bulls vs. Bayonne at Stade Jean Dauger, Bayonne.
• Sunday: hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Lyon at Mamut Stadium de Gerland, Lyon.

Emirates Lions Face Edinburgh Challenge

The Emirates Lions face a significant challenge against Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium.Edinburgh, having won their last three EPCR Challenge Cup matches and topping their pool, enter as favorites. Though, the Lions, despite recent setbacks in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC), including a heavy 42-0 defeat against the Glasgow Warriors, are motivated to turn their season around.

The team hopes to create an upset and advance to the quarter-finals. While Edinburgh has home-ground advantage, the Lions aim to regain momentum, not only for European success but also to secure a URC playoff spot when that competition resumes.

Notably, both teams have scored 18 tries in the EPCR Challenge Cup campaign thus far. The Lions can also draw confidence from their previous encounter with Edinburgh in the URC, where they secured a resounding 55-21 victory.

Vodacom Bulls Travel to Bayonne

The Vodacom Bulls, currently third in the Vodacom URC with 10 wins in 14 matches, are set to face Bayonne. Despite Bayonne’s stronger record in the EPCR Challenge Cup this season (three wins out of four compared to the bulls’ one), the Bulls are confident in their abilities.

Though, a strong performance on both attack and defense will be crucial. Bayonne, currently fourth in the Top 14, will be playing at home with the support of their passionate fans. the Bulls will need to adapt to conditions vastly different from those in South Africa.

The Vodacom Bulls are riding a three-match winning streak in the Vodacom URC, including a notable 21-20 victory against Leinster. They aim to build on this momentum as they prepare for the crucial stages of both the EPCR Challenge Cup and vodacom URC.

Moreover,the Bulls can draw inspiration from their ability to win on the road,with URC victories against Ospreys,Benetton,and Connacht. They also secured a comprehensive 48-7 victory against Stade Francais in the Investec Champions Cup, the same stade Francais that defeated Bayonne by 31-27 in the Top 14.

Hollywoodbets Sharks in Lyon Showdown

The Hollywoodbets Sharks, currently fourth in the Vodacom URC standings, face a similar situation to the Vodacom Bulls. Their Investec Champions Cup record shows only one win compared to Lyon’s three in the EPCR Challenge Cup.

while Lyon’s Top 14 form has been inconsistent, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have established themselves as a top Vodacom URC team, positioning themselves for a potential home quarter-final. The presence of several Springboks within their ranks will boost their confidence as they face Lyon, who are currently seventh in the Top 14 with nine wins in 20 matches.

Despite this, the Sharks are wary of their opposition, especially after hard-fought victories in two of their last three vodacom URC matches and a recent 10-7 defeat against Leinster in Durban.All this combined with the fact that the teams will be playing for a quarter-final berth, means it could prove to be a gripping encounter.

Match Information