After today’s clash, the Sharks travel to four-time winners Leinster, then face 2022 URC champions the Stormers in Cape Town before concluding the pool stages with a home date against hat-trick-seeking La Rochelle.
If ever evidence was needed that the Champions Cup is the closest thing to Test rugby, this is it. “The biggest crowds, best venues – it is as close to international rugby as you can get. That’s the rhetoric I have been saying every year but because I have said it before it doesn’t make it any less true,” said Sanderson.
“We don’t want to be the whipping boys of this group, which is what most people had us down to be when the pools got announced; that’s proper motivation for us to step out of that shadow.
“We are in the hardest group. They are all hard groups but this is way and above the hardest. You either look at it being a tough Christmas or you appreciate for what it is – a brilliant opportunity to see how you stack up against the best, that’s how we are looking at it.
“Stade are also almost top of their tree and they beat Toulouse, then it’s Leinster the week after, the perennial finalists and La Rochelle the current champions, not to mention Stormers, who are probably the best team in South Africa.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin December 10, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin December 10, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
