South African sides face Champions Cup acid test as air miles mount

T o say the 2022-23 Champions Cup is proving a logistical challenge for some teams is the understatement of the season. If the presence of the Stormers and Sharks in the last eight at the first attempt is a positive for South African rugby, there really should be an additional box in the corner of the TV screen displaying their latest air miles tally.

Take the Stormers. This calendar year alone they have played away in Glasgow, London, Belfast and Dublin. Now, having seen off Harlequins in hot, humid conditions in Cape Town last Saturday, they are having to pack their bags again and head north to face Exeter this Saturday. Faced with a similar schedule, even Tom Cruise’s Maverick would be begging for more downtime in the Top Gun hangar.

A further complication is the looming Easter holiday weekend. Not only did Stormers not know exactly where they would be playing until Sunday afternoon but positioning the last 16 and the quarter-finals together with millions of holidaymakers also on the move is making life impractical for European supporters too. Even if they have the spare time, prices are sky-high and the hoop-jumping is too complicated to make following their team practicable

It adds up to a scenario that someone, somewhere should have spotted in advance. Next year, thankfully, there will be no Easter clash but the round of 16 and quarter-finals will once more be wedged in alongside each other. Why? A tournament that was once proudly away fan-centric is in danger of becoming one that only really works for broadcasters and travel agents.

This is both a crying shame and another sign of the times. Rugby is changing and the product has to be as tip-top as possible. In that respect the South African sides are