Carlu Sadie. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
The South African teams endured inauspicious Champions Cup campaigns, but there will nevertheless be a strong 'Saffa' influence in Bilbao in Saturday's final between Bordeaux and Leinster, notably on the side of the French team.
And South African rugby fans currently on the fence might well switch to the team from the leading wine-growing area in France, given that three South Africans are like to feature in their matchday 23.
The former Sharks and Springbok flank Jean-Luc du Preez has been starting for Bordeaux, as has massive tighthead prop Carlu Sadie, while another former Lion, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, has been playing off the bench. There is another South African in the greater Bordeaux squad, the young hooker Christian Everitt, who is the son of Edinburgh and former Sharks coach Sean Everitt.
There are more South Africans in the coaching staff. The line-out coach is Sean Sowerby, who played No 8 for the Sharks in the early 2000s before finishing his career in France. He never returned to South Africa and is a well-regarded coach.
The name of the Bordeaux skills coach will ring a strong bell for South Africans — Heinie Adams. The man from Worcester in the Western Cape played scrumhalf for the Bulls between 2005 and 2010, earning 35 Super Rugby caps as back-up to Fourie du Preez. Adams toured with the Springboks in 2009 but did not play a Test.
Two other Bordeaux coaches have had stints in South Africa at the Sharks — the head coach, Yannick Bru and attack coach Noel McNamara. The latter will be particularly interested in the influence of the sole South African on the Leinster side of the fence, former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.
Nienaber has not had it easy with the Irish supporters since he joined the Dublin team after winning the 2023 World Cup — Nienaber is to blame when Leinster lose, and when they win, he gets no credit.
In the EPCR Challenge Cup final on Friday night, between Ulster and Montpellier, the shock axing of a South African has been a big talking point in Belfast.
Former Blitzboks hero, Werner Kok, is a huge crowd favourite at Ulster’s Ravenhill Stadium, and a prolific try-scorer, yet he has been dropped from the matchday 23 for the final.
To be fair, it is a current Ireland international, Robert Baloucoune, who is back from injury to replace Kok. But Kok has strong form on his side, including scoring a hat-trick against the Stormers in a recent 38-38 draw between the sides in Belfast.
However, the SA flag will still be flown — Juarno Augustus, a former Junior Springbok and Stormer, is starting at No 8 for Ulster.