Esterhuizen, Duhan and Tambwe: Top players that will face SA countrymen in European cups

It was inevitable that the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup draw conducted on Tuesday would conduct some grudge match-ups between the South African franchises facing their overseas-based defectors.

And true to suspicion, some big clashes, loaded with rich narratives, have been served.

At the top of the bill is Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen returning to face his former Sharks team-mates for the first time since leaving for Harlequins in England in 2020.

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Almost serendipitously, Arno Botha will return, once again, to Loftus with French club Lyon, whom he is set to join after concluding a hugely successful two years with the Bulls - his second spell since leaving the first time in 2017.

Of course, there's Bordeaux's newest South African recruit, Madosh Tambwe from the Bulls, who will also face one of his former sides, the Sharks, in the Champions Cup.

Some South African-on-South African match-ups might develop in the respective competitions' knock-outs.

But here is a list of some of the top players that will do battle against their South African compatriots in the pool stages of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup next season:

Andre Esterhuizen – Harlequins (Racing 92, Sharks)

Word on the street is the Sharks tried to get Esterhuizen back after seeing what a huge void he left in their midfield after departing for Harlequins at the end of Super Rugby 2020.

After numerous attempts through Marius Louw and Ben Tapuai to fill it, they eventually settled on bringing Rohan Janse van Rensburg back to SA from Sale Sharks.

Esterhuizen, meanwhile, became a top player at 'Quins, where he won the Rugby Players' Association men's Players' Player-of-the-Year award.

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