Sharks, Bulls, and Lions prepare for to overcome massive Challenge

Defending champions the Sharks, the Bulls and Lions are gearing up for potentially tricky away EPCR Challenge Cup round of 16 fixtures at the weekend.

The Lions will face Scottish side Edinburgh at DAM Health Stadium on Friday, while the Bulls will tackle French side Bayonne at Stade Jean Dauger on Saturday. The Sharks face French giants Lyon at Stade Gerland later on Saturday.

It was a disappointing weekend for the four South African teams in the United Rugby Championship at the weekend, apart from the Bulls, who thumped Zebre Parma 63-24 in Pretoria.

The 14-man Stormers suffered a narrow 38-34 defeat against Ulster in Belfast, the Sharks went down 10-7 against Leinster in Durban, and the Lions were on the receiving end of a heavy 42-0 defeat against the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland.

This coming weekend, the Bulls again look the most likely South African side to triumph in the lesser Challenge Cup prized more as a back door to the Champions Cup.

Despite their status as defending champs, the Sharks are unlikely to overcome powerhouses Lyon away from home. The Lions’ mauling against the Warriors also suggests that they will struggle against Edinburgh.

The Bulls will have extra motivation to beat Bayonne. Should they win, the quarterfinals are scheduled for the following weekend, most likely against opposition in Europe.

Then the URC resumes, with Jake White’s men facing tough clashes against Irish heavyweights Munster and then defending URC champions Glasgow Warriors on April 19 and 25, respectively.

If the Bulls win their Challenge Cup quarterfinal, they could once again face opposition in Europe in the following weekend’s semifinal. Failure to advance will present White and the Bulls with a logistical nightmare.

"I don't think any team can fly teams back and forth, it's logistically impossible even if I wanted to take another team and rest some guys," White said, after the win against Zebre.

"Once we go, we almost have to start preparing for four weeks on tour. It could be five.

"If you win against Bayonne and you win in the next round, you then stay for the semifinal, which is after the Glasgow game. So I will have to box a little differently in terms of how we get to the back end of the tour."

If the Sharks grab an unlikely win in Lyon and get to play the quarterfinal away, at least they would stay in Europe. But it would also extend their tour from two games to four.

John Pumtree’s men seem to be more preoccupied with the URC this season than defending their title, however. They are in fourth place in the table on 45 points, five behind the Bulls in third. Both sides will have their sights set firmly on staying in the top four to secure possible home quarter-finals.

The Stormers are stuck in 10th place while the Lions are 14th. Both teams are under pressure to win their remaining games to keep alive their slim play-off hopes.

There are four pool games left in the competition.