Former Springboks captain Jean de Villiers is struggling to see how a South African side will be able to win the Investec Champions Cup this season, but Schalk Burger is hopeful that the Sharks can make a deep run.

Their domestic form has not been translated into the continental competition, with the South African teams failing to make it past the last-eight.

There remains a wealth of talent in the country, despite many of their stars heading overseas, and they have provided finalists in all three United Rugby Championship campaigns so far.

The Stormers claimed the title in its inaugural season, beating the Bulls in the final, and then reached the showpiece event a year later.

The Pretoria outfit followed up that appearance in the 2022 final with another runners-up spot, this time to Glasgow Warriors earlier this year, but it has not been replicated in the Champions Cup.

Struggles in Europe

Their teams are hamstrung by the travel factor, with them having to fly more than the European-based outfits, and that is why De Villiers cannot see a South African winner.

“I’m going to predict that it’s going to be difficult for a South African team to win the competition. The reason for that is because it’s so difficult to win away from home when you are flying,” he said on the Boks Office podcast.

“I see it as [difficult] for a South African team to qualify or a team that is in a South African pool. If you’re not in a pool with a South African team, I think your chances of qualifying are so much better because you don’t have to travel [long distances].”

That time may eventually come at some point for the South African teams and host of the show, Hanyani Shimange, described the Champions Cup as the “holy grail” for their franchises.

While the Bulls and the Stormers have enjoyed success in the URC, the side Shimange’s and De Villiers’ former Springboks team-mate, Schalk Burger, believes is best equipped to go deep is the Sharks.

John Plumtree’s men have underachieved over recent years but they are stacked with Springboks stars, including the likes of Ox Nche and Eben Etzebeth.

“If the Sharks somehow can get themselves into a play-off spot, I think they’ve got the squad to do it. I don’t know if I can see the other South African sides competing on both fronts, the URC and the Investec Champions Cup,” Burger said.

Stuart Barnes predicts ‘stronger South African tilt’ in Champions Cup with Toulouse ‘not unbeatable’

The Durban side showed some of their capabilities as they beat Exeter Chiefs 39-21 in the opening pool match of the competition, but it was certainly not perfect.

“You had that blitz from the Sharks and they were unbelievable for 10 or 12 minutes scoring great tries, and then it went [downhill],” De Villiers said.

Inconsistency

Burger agrees with De Villiers over the Sharks’ inability to string it together on a consistent basis, but the former back-rower insists that they have the quality to challenge in both competitions.

“That’s the way the Sharks have been playing this whole year. They’ve got these explosive moments where they score a 90-metre try and then they go into a bit of a lull – negative upon negative. Discipline is a big issue for them,” the former back-row said.

“They do it in the URC when they concede 20 points in the last 20 minutes after thinking that they’re going to put 40 or 50 points past a team.

“If they qualify somewhere in the top-eight in the URC and then if they can get themselves a nice quarter in the Champions Cup then they’re going to be tough to beat.”

READ MORE: Schalk Burger hints at Rassie Erasmus conspiracy theory after controversial World Rugby decision

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-legends-picks-the-south-african-team-best-placed-to-go-furthest-in-the-champions-cup-holy-grail