The South African rugby teams have struggled to make their mark in the top European competitions, with only the Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs making it past the round of 16. The Cell C Sharks, the DHL Stormers, and the Emirates Lions lost their series in the quarterfinals. In the Heineken Champions Cup, Stade Toulousain and Exeter Chiefs beat the Sharks and the Stormers from coastal areas. Even though the Emirates Lions played well in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal, they lost to the Glasgow Warriors.
