South African teams may still be chasing their first Champions Cup semi-final, but the country’s influence on Europe’s elite club competition is impossible to ignore.
From boardrooms and coaching boxes to the playing field, South Africans are scattered across the continent’s leading clubs, with former Springboks, emerging talent and homegrown coaching expertise helping shape the tournament.
This weekend’s opening-round teams reveal a remarkable spread of South African connections, some of them in positions of considerable influence.
Defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles, for example, boast three Springboks in Jean-Luc du Plessis, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Carlu Sadie, while their forwards coach is former Springbok and Sharks captain Shaun Sowerby.
Sowerby enjoyed a distinguished playing career in France, featuring in 113 matches for Toulouse before adding another 51 appearances for Stade Français. He subsequently moved into coaching and has remained in French rugby.
Bordeaux also have an emerging South African talent in hooker Christian Everitt, a Durban High School old boy and the son of Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh and former Sharks coach.
Across the Channel, South Africans hold top positions at Saracens. Former Sharks chief executive Ed Coetzee occupies the same role at the London club, while 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Brendan Venter is director of rugby.
Former Springbok Franco Smith is head coach of Glasgow Warriors, whose captain, Johannesburg-born Kyle Steyn, is the son of Rory Steyn, Nelson Mandela’s former bodyguard.
Bath are led by former Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan, while former Cheetahs player and Italy international Corniel van Zyl is Cardiff's head coach.
There will also be a distinctly South African flavour to the Lions’ daunting trip to two-time European champions La Rochelle. They will encounter Springbok lock Salmaan Moerat and former Bok wing Dillyn Leyds, while La Rochelle’s scrum coach, Gurthro Steenkamp, will want to enjoy a post-match refreshment with his former 2007 World Cup-winning teammate, Lions defence coach Jaque Fourie.
Steenkamp, like Sowerby, made a lasting impression as a player in France and subsequently built his professional life there.
At Stade Français, former South Africa Under-20 captain Jeremy Ward provides another Sharks connection. The centre is joined in Paris by defence coach Rory Kockott, the former Sharks scrumhalf who also made France his home after his playing career took off there.
Their stories are part of a much bigger picture. Approximately 400 South Africans play professional rugby in Europe, with around half competing at the elite level.
The Champions Cup roster below offers just a snapshot of that influence, from players making their mark on the field to South Africans helping run and coach some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
South Africans in the overseas Champions Cup squads
La Rochelle — Salmaan Moerat (lock); Dillyn Leyds (wing); Gurthro Steenkamp (scrum coach).
Bordeaux-Bègles — Jean-Luc du Plessis (flank); Rohan Janse van Rensburg (centre); Carlu Sadie (prop); Christian Everitt (hooker); Shaun Sowerby (forwards coach).
Montpellier — Ruben van Heerden (lock).
Stade Français — Jeremy Ward (centre); Rory Kockott (defence coach).
Glasgow Warriors — Franco Smith (head coach); Kyle Steyn (wing); Nathan McBeth (prop); Ruwald van der Merwe (No 8); Patrick Schickerling (prop).
Leinster — RG Snyman (lock, injured).
Connacht — Francois van Wyk (prop); Shayne Bolton (wing); Allan Temple-Jones (head of athletic performance).
Munster — Marnus van der Merwe (hooker).
Sale Sharks — Cebo Dlamini (prop).
Exeter Chiefs — Joseph Dweba (hooker); Ross Vintcent (No 8); Ethan Burger (prop).
Saracens — Ed Coetzee (chief executive); Brendan Venter (director of rugby); Corne Weilbach (prop).
Bristol Bears — Benhard Janse van Rensburg (centre).
Gloucester — Jean Kleyn (lock); James Venter (flank); Dian Bleuler (prop).
Bath — Johann van Graan (head coach); JP Ferreira (defence coach); Dan du Preez (No 8); Quin Roux (lock); Jaco Coetzee; Bernard van der Linde (scrumhalf).
Northampton Saints — JJ van der Mescht (lock); Jordan Els (prop); Lefty Zigiriadis (prop); Jaco Pienaar (scrum coach).
Cardiff — Corniel van Zyl (head coach); Johan Mulder (scrumhalf).