Jake White © Gallo Pictures
South Africa’s presence within the EPCR Problem Cup competitors could also be over, however all eyes will now fall on two coaches who can lead their respective groups to cup glory.
Whereas Jake White lamented his facet’s poor first half as they left their fightback too late to defeat Edinburgh, Sean Everitt, one-time assistant to White and former Sharks coach, may have the chance to offer Scotland their final remaining likelihood for Cup glory after Glasgow exited the Investec Champions Cup on Friday evening.
Everitt’s Edinburgh will face off towards English facet Tub – the present Premiership leaders and Premiership Cup winners – who’re coached by former Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan in a much-anticipated semifinal which may have a whole lot of South African curiosity in it.
Tub’s nine-try 61-26 demolition of fellow English facet Gloucester underlined their starvation for silverware this season as they give the impression of being so as to add the Problem Cup to their Premiership Cup they already received earlier this season.
Van Graan has reworked the membership from backside of the Premiership to runaway leaders in a brief period of time, and the showdown with Everitt might be a eager one to observe.
Edinburgh’s win over the Bulls was marked by a surprising first half show which caught the South African facet flat-footed, and which was sufficient in the long run to offer Everitt a slender win after an epic fightback.
FULL TIME 🐂
What a struggle until the top 🔥@ChallengeCup_ | @Vodacom #ChallengeAccepted pic.twitter.com/IXCot3YhWj
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) April 12, 2025
White lamented afterwards in regards to the dangerous begin, however the Bulls, with six Springboks on their bench, made the many of the second half as they fought again from 31-7 down to finish up simply six factors adrift and lose 34-28.
The sight of former Bulls prop Pierre Schoeman profitable the essential turnover penalty on the finish to safe victory for his facet was not misplaced on White both.
However the Bulls coach had no excuses as his facet began poorly after which gave themselves a mountain to climb to safe the victory.
“This one hurts greater than some other sport since you are out of the competitors,” White stated afterwards. “It was disappointing as a result of I genuinely thought that particularly with the bench we had, it was nearly like we ran out of time. If we performed for 5 extra minutes I’ve little doubt we’d have ended up profitable that sport.”
White stated the large distinction was a yellow card to Zak Burger, who left the sector for a expensive 10 minutes within the first half.
“You may’t play towards a world staff with the calibre of gamers they’ve with 14 males,” White stated. “Throughout that interval, we conceded 21 factors. As soon as you’re 7-24 down, it makes it very troublesome. However I’m nonetheless very proud. At 7-31, it may have simply been worse.
“We’ve seen how a whole lot of groups on the again finish of this competitors have blown different groups away. And to actually get turned over within the final play of the sport within the [opposition] 22 [metre area] is clearly one thing I’m actually completely happy about. However I simply stress that I’m clearly very disenchanted as a result of we got here right here with a gaggle that I assumed can be adequate to beat Edinburgh.”
The opposite groups from the Vodacom United Rugby Championship within the Problem Cup additionally bowed out as Lyon received a tense conflict towards Ospreys 20-18 in Swansea regardless of a late strive by George McGuigan.
Racing 92 ended Irish facet Connacht’s run with an in depth 43-40 win, one other sport which noticed a late fightback as Connacht scored twice within the final 10 minutes, but it surely wasn’t sufficient to get them via.
