All five South African franchises are in action in either the top-tier Champions Cup or second-tier Challenge Cup this ... with several Springbok World Cup winners missing from the lineup.

There are nine games in the final round of Challenge Cup pool matches with 12 teams qualifying for the last 16 from the second tier group stages and four sides dropping down from the Champions Cup.

With the disappointment of their form in the Investec Champions’ Cup still firmly with them, the Vodacom Bulls seem to be targeting a place in the EPCR Challenge ... end of the world, we are ...