While all five South African teams progressed to the Champions and Challenge Cup play-offs, Jake White is wary about what lies in wait for the Vodacom Bulls in the knock-out rounds.

The Bulls earned a home play-off in the Champions Cup against Lyon after holding on to beat Bordeaux in a 12-try thriller in the final round of pool action last week.

Along with the Bulls, the DHL Stormers have also secured a home last-16 tie, against defending champions La Rochelle, while the Sharks will host Zebre in the first round of play-offs in the second-tier Challenge Cup.

Last season, the South African teams only went as far as the quarter-finals, with the Bulls getting knocked out in the round of 16, but there is belief that they can go a step further this season.

However, White isn’t getting carried away as he expects South Africa’s opponents to travel at full strength in the play-offs.

“There is belief, but I want people in South Africa and supporters to understand that the big guns are coming now,” White said.

“When the likes of La Rochelle, Toulouse, and Leinster bring out their players, you start comparing the number of internationals on each side.

“You’re now pitting youngsters who are still growing, but sport is an amazing thing, and there’s a reason why people follow sport around the world. They do so for the reason that on the day that a team that isn’t supposed to win ends up winning. Hopefully, our belief will grow and we get better, but I’m also a realist, as we saw with last week’s games that were on a different level.

“It’s club rugby on steroids.”