Saffas make early mark in Champions Cup

Clinton Swart and Ernst van Rhyn were among the standout performers in the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup.

Swart, the Pumas flyhalf on loan at the Stormers, made a dream debut in the tournament by scoring 16 points –four penalties and two conversions – to steer the Cape side to a hard-fought 26-17 victory over Bayonne at the Stade Jean Dauger. His haul made him the top point-scorer across all 12 fixtures.

Van Rhyn, the Sale Sharks flank, produced a monster defensive effort in his team’s 26-21 loss to the Glasgow Warriors in Manchester. The former Stormers lock racked up an astonishing 31 tackles, the most by any player on the opening weekend.

Round 1 offered no shortage of drama elsewhere. Toulouse laid down a marker with an eight-try demolition of the Sharks, while the Bulls were edged at home by defending champions Bordeaux, who overturned a 10-point halftime deficit to claim a historic victory in Pretoria.

Stormers aside, South African sides endured a tough weekend, with the Sharks and Vodacom Bulls both defeated.

STATE OF EURO CUPS: Stormers fly SA flag

Top performers (Round 1)
Points: Clinton Swart (Stormers) – 16
Carries: Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle) – 20
Metres: Josh McKay (Glasgow) – 121
Defenders beaten: Jordan Larmour (Leinster) – 7
Offloads: Gavin Coombes (Munster) – 5
Tackles: Ernst van Rhyn (Sale) – 31

AFRICA PICKS: Investec Champions Cup Round 1 review & betting outlook

Key stats (Round 1)

– Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse) was the only player who scored three tries in round one. He also made a round-high five clean breaks.

Ange était en mode fusée hier 🚀

Revivez les temps forts d’une victoire toulousaine éclatante ➡️ https://t.co/PvIFaeuGcv#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/GZ6NzQ1NVC

— Investec Champions Cup France (@ChampionsCup_FR) December 8, 2025

– Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle) made the joint-most carries at the weekend (20), beat four defenders, and scored a try.

– Jordan Larmour (Leinster) beat the joint-most defenders (seven) at the weekend, made four clean breaks, and the second-most metres (119).

– Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux Bègles) assisted two tries, scored another, and beat the joint-most defenders (seven) in round one.

– Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints) made the joint-most dominant tackles (three) and won a turnover at the weekend.

Photo: Dave Winter/INPHO