In theory this should have been a historic occasion: a top South African provincial side heading over the equator to test themselves in one of England’s most evocative venues. Despite the festive bonanza of tries, though, even Exeter’s fans left feeling slightly empty, having witnessed another contest that makes it difficult to hold up the Champions Cup as a club tournament without equal.
The Bulls, perfectly understandably, left 21 players at home for their United Rugby Championship game against the Stormers in Cape Town this Friday. As their coach, Jake White, has made clear, there is no way the same group of players can compete fully in the URC, the Champions Cup and the Currie Cup and, selection-wise, something had to give.
