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Top 10 SA tries of the 2025-26 Investec Champions Cup

South African sides put forth a better challenge and scored some belters in the 2025-26 Investec Champions Cup, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld as he selects the 10 best local tries of the tournament.

Last season, not a single South African team qualified for the Round of 16. The Stormers, Bulls and Sharks were back for more in the greatest club rugby competition in the world this season and showed improvement.

Traditional powerhouses, the Stormers and Bulls, booked playoff berths and took their hosts, Toulon and the Glasgow Warriors, to the limit in narrow Round of 16 defeats, while the Sharks were somewhat unfortunate to narrowly miss out on a place in the last 16.

Fresh off the quarter-finals and with a short break before the semis, check out the finest five-pointers from the South African teams in the European top-flight:

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Honourable Mentions:

A Solo Stunner

Manu Tshituka took it upon himself to punish Sale in the battle of the Sharks, the dynamic back-rower breaking and leaving George Ford for dead to dot down for the Durbanites.

Jeandre Sixty60

The Bulls found much-needed cohesion to score this try against Bristol through Stravino Jacobs, with Jeandre Rudolph playing the perfect delivery man with his fast hands.

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A Gift in Gqeberha

Warrick Gelant got this gift of a try against La Rochelle courtesy of the rapid Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Cream Rises to the Top

Put into a hole by George Whitehead, Ethan Hooker blasted off and timed his offload to perfection as Grant Williams slid over in the Durban rain to help the Sharks secure their first win.

10: Prop Star

When Ruan Nortje broke away against the Bears, he would not have expected Gerhard Steenekamp to be the man in support, but the replacement prop came up huge with a glorious run and offload to free up Willie le Roux for the try.

9: From Namibia, With Love

Namibian international Le Roux Malan scored for the Sharks against six-time champions Toulouse after some sublime handling from Francois Venter, Jean Smith and Phiko Sobahle.

8: Deep Dish

Sebastian de Klerk and Willie le Roux combined to put Harold Vorster into space, with the veteran making the right decision to send his centre partner David Kriel in against the Bears.

7: Give That Man a Bells

David Kriel conjured up one of the offloads of the season in atrocious conditions in Glasgow to put Johan Grobbelaar over in the corner in the Bulls’ Round of 16 clash against the Warriors.

6: It’s not over yet

Trailing hosts Toulon by eight with less than three minutes remaining in their Round of 16 tie, the Stormers showed their never-say-die spirit as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Imad Kahn combined, with the latter touching down. It was not to be for the Capetonians, though, as the hosts held on by the skin of their teeth.

5: Golden Oldie

The Stormers caught the Tigers with one of the oldest tricks in the book, a scissor, with Jonathan Roche cutting clean through and Paul de Villiers providing excellent assistance, allowing Evan Roos to crash over.

4: Deadly Duo Keep On Delivering

Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu carried their fantastic form for the Boks over to the Stormers as they stylishly set up Dylan Maart for his second try against La Rochelle.

3: Time to Boogie

Jurenzo “The Boogie Man” Julius started and finished this fantastic try, sending Corne Rahl on a memorable gallop and taking Ross Braude’s offload to complete the rout against Clermont. 

2: Storming Start

The Stormers made sure the opening try of the season stood the test of time. Deadly from transition attack, Leolin Zas broke free and kicked ahead for rookie scrumhalf Imad Khan, who showed great composure to toe the ball and then pick it up to score.

1: Major Breakthrough

Sparked by Sebastian de Klerk with a blistering run out of his 22, this cracking score offered a glimpse into the future as Junior Springbok standout Cheswill Jooste grubbered and left Nathan Decron for dead to dot down a try that helped the Bulls stun Pau, snap a seven-game losing streak and snatch a spot in the playoffs.

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Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.

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