URC playoffs: Consistency key for Bulls

The Vodacom Bulls are in strong position but the road to a top-four URC finish, and a home quarter-final, is a precarious one. 

While a flying three-win start to the campaign installed Jake White’s men as early favourites for the title, the Herd haven’t since been able to string back-to-back wins together, stumbling in crucial SA derbies. With six games remaining, they have everything to play for.

The third-placed Bulls return to Loftus Versfeld next Saturday after a two-week break with a golden opportunity to set things straight. First up, they host unbeaten table-toppers Leinster. The Irish giants may travel to Pretoria with a weakened squad, but they remain formidable. A win here would send a strong message.

That’s followed by a must-win clash against second-from-bottom Zebre – their log position belies a team on a three-win streak including success against Ulster and Edinbugh.

The defining stretch of the season comes in late April when the Bulls embark on a brutal two-game tour against Munster and Glasgow Warriors. The 2022-23 champions, Munster edged the Bulls last season in Limerick, and Warriors dethroned the Pretoria side in last year’s final.

Both sides are in the thick of the title race, sitting fifth and second respectively, and the results of these fixtures will go a long way in determining the Bulls’ playoff positioning.

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Closing out the league phase, the Bulls return to the Highveld to face Cardiff and Dragons. Cardiff, currently sixth, will pose a challenge, but the Dragons sit rock bottom, making that match a near-guaranteed five points.

Glasgow’s grip on second place (43 log points) is tenuous while Leinster currently hold a 13-point lead in first place. The Bulls (41 points) and Sharks (39) are neck-and-neck and any failure to capitalise on homeground advantage would see White’s men miss the chance to climb into the top two, potentially slipping to fourth where they’d be consigned to travelling to Dublin for a potential semi-final.

The Bulls will rue missed chances in the past few weeks. Narrow losses to the Sharks and Stormers cost them the opportunity to leapfrog Glasgow into second. Against the Sharks, they let a half-time lead slip in a frustrating 29-19 loss. The Stormers then edged them 19-16 at Loftus in a rain-soaked thriller. Wins in those games would have given them breathing room.

Bulls’ 2024-25 URC results:
R2: Bulls 22-16 Edinburgh
R3: Bulls 47-21 Ulster
R4: Ospreys 19-29 Bulls
R5: Scarlets 23-22 Bulls
R6: Benetton 15-17 Bulls
R7:Connacht 14-28 Bulls
R8: Sharks 20-17 Bulls
R9: Bulls 31-19 Lions
R1: Stormers 32-33 Bulls (rescheduled)
R10: Lions 22-35 Bulls
R11: Bulls 19-29 Sharks
R12: Bulls 16-19 Stormers

Bulls’ upcoming URC matches:
vs Leinster, Saturday 22 March, Pretoria, 5pm
vs Zebre, Saturday 29 March, Pretoria, 2.45pm
vs Munster, Saturday 19 April, Limerick, 6.15pm
vs Glasgow, Saturday 25 April, Glasgow, 8.35pm
vs Cardiff, Saturday 10 May, Pretoria, 4pm
vs Dragons, Saturday 17 May, Pretoria, 3pm

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images