Ken Borland

The Bulls stand on the brink of the United Rugby Championship playoffs confident that the mettle of the team has been proven by the way they have come through the fires of a most disheartening first half of the season under a new coach in Johan Ackermann.

The three-time URC runners-up go into Saturday’s last round-robin game against Benetton Treviso at Loftus Versfeld in fourth place on the standings, having guaranteed a quarterfinal place. But they will be eyeing a bonus point win that will guarantee them a home playoff.

It is a far cry from the situation at the start of the year when they had lost five matches in a row and languished in 12^th place on the log. The decision to replace coach Jake White, who had led them to the final in 2021/22, 2023/24 and 2024/25, with Ackermann was starting to look rash and there were genuine fears that the Bulls would miss out on the playoffs for the first time in URC history.

But a hard-fought 19-17 win in Edinburgh was the start of the recovery and they have now won eight of their last 10 matches in the competition. The confidence is back and the prospect of a home quarterfinal has the Bulls squad chomping at the bit.

Loose forward Mpilo Gumede is one of the newer faces in the Bulls’ first-choice URC 23 this year and the former Sharks man is enjoying the building of pressure that comes with knockout rugby.

“It’s been special for me. People always say the Bulls are the club to be at because they are chasing trophies, so I’m not surprised by where we are now. But it hasn’t been easy and we are aware of how much tougher it’s going to get. But it’s good for me, I can only challenge myself by seeing where I am compared with the best.

“It hasn’t been a consistent season for us, but we didn’t let that define us and we have gone from strength to strength by sticking to the plan and trusting the process. It’s also shown how close we are and how we fight for each other. No-one wants to be the one who lets the team down.

“Everyone is coming in to Loftus in the morning and giving their best. We are in it to win it and I think we are peaking now. It was tough, the way the season started, losing half-a-dozen games in a row, it has not been an easy turnaround. But we are a big club and we are expected to deliver, we understand where we are.

“We can reflect now on where we have come from, we have been through the worst. But the environment is unbelievable, it does not feel like we are just there to do a job. Each time I wake up and go to training it’s special because of the gees. We never speak down to each other, we stick together,” Gumede told kenborland.com.

While Gumede is treading new ground as a professional rugby player, it is not the first time wing Sergeal Petersen has found himself in the heat of knockout rugby. Having won the URC trophy with the Stormers in 2022, he famously scored two tries in the semifinal between the Bulls and Leinster two years ago in Pretoria, including a sensational matchwinning effort when he leapt in the air to claim a kick against a much taller player.

The 31-year-old flyer also believes the Bulls have much more certainty now in their ability to perform under the high stakes pressure of the playoffs.

“We have been through a rollercoaster but the fact is we are now at the business end of the season and it feels like we have kicked on and gelled at the right time. It was a bit stop-start to begin with under a new coach, but now is the time for us to start producing the goods, starting with a vital game on Saturday.

“We want to give ourselves the chance of a home semifinal by getting another bonus point win. I think we’re peaking now, we had a successful tour, winning two games, and it’s time to hit our straps now. After the start we had, our mindset every week has been that we know we’ve got to rock up. We know we’ve been focused because we’ve had to strive to win every game.

“Playing for a team like the Bulls, there is so much expectation to perform every time we go on the field. We believe we can take on any team and no-one in the squad has any doubts in themselves. There is so much trust in the leadership team,” Petersen told kenborland.com.

Petersen, who has racked up 85 appearances for the Cheetahs, Stormers and Bulls, says the key to success in the playoffs lies in executing the basics to perfection.

“Simplicity is now the most important thing. We’ve got the playing depth and the rugby knowledge of these situations – we have World Cup winners and Currie Cup winners and players and coaches who have been involved in URC and SuperRugby finals.

“It’s all about simplicity and execution now. We can’t look too far ahead, but anything can happen in the finals. The road we’ve been on has ensured there’s no complacency,” Petersen said.

Following the URC campaign, several players who have become folk heroes at Loftus Versfeld will be leaving the club – tighthead powerhouse Wilco Louw, the totemic lock Ruan Nortje, backline stalwart David Kriel and exhilarating winger Kurt-Lee Arendse are all departing.

Gumede said those remaining are determined to send them off with the trophy they have come so close to winning but which keeps slipping agonisingly from their fingers.

“Those guys have fought for the jersey for a long time, someone like Ruan wants us to win so badly. So we want to make a special moment for them, those guys who have been trying to win the URC from the start of the competition. We want to make sure we send them off nicely,” Gumede said.

It was certainly a horror show for the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening as the Bulls walloped them by a record 64-0, a thrashing that was a reversal of the famous Jaws film but every bit as bloody for the visitors.

The Bulls scored five tries in each half and produced an outstanding display of rugby: forward dominance was complemented by a backline that was free-flowing and inventive, and showed both their skills and their physical attributes.

To be fair to the Sharks, they were up against a seasoned Bulls outfit featuring full internationals in brilliant flyhalf Jaco van der Walt and wing Aphiwe Dyantyi, plus a host of players with URC experience. The KwaZulu-Natalians are basically an U21 side playing in the senior Currie Cup.

While the slaughter made ugly viewing for Sharks fans, a good crowd at Loftus Versfeld were royally entertained. Understandably, the mood in the Bulls changeroom afterwards was reportedly “ecstatic”.

“The guys are obviously ecstatic. We were also able to celebrate our nine debutants from the last two weeks, so there’s a very nice vibe in the changeroom. We will all have a cold one tonight,” new Bulls lineout coach Josh Strauss said.

The Bulls’ new head honcho, Johan Ackermann, described this match as “the audition” when he spoke to the Currie Cup team in their changeroom before the match, and the hunger of the players, so many of them who barely had a look-in during the Jake White era, was palpable.

“We’re getting the blend right between the senior and younger players and that mix is definitely vital. We have one or two cooler, more experienced heads who can make decisions and guide the youngsters,” scrum coach Werner Kruger said.

“Obviously we’ve done really well in the first two games and there was probably less pressure today but there were still good lessons in terms of what areas we want to play in, when we want to slow things down and how to close out the game. When you have a performance like that, it means guys have definitely put their hands up, it’s undeniable.”

The Bulls hit the Sharks hard from the outset and there were already some pale Natal faces after the first 10 minutes with the home side 14-0 up. Wing Stravino Jacobs made a big hit after chasing a Van der Walt up-and-under and a penalty soon afterwards allowed the Bulls to use their powerful maul, hooker Juann Else scoring the first of his two tries and prop Dylan Smith also burrowing over the line.

The Sharks also had to face some storming runs from abrasive forwards like Nama Xaba, Jeandre Rudolph and Marvin Orie, and the defence was further tormented by a backline that was flowing beautifully thanks to the impressive and exciting combination of Van der Walt and inside centre Chris Smit pulling the strings.

Smit showed his strength in scoring his first try, and his second came five minutes later when he got on the end of a lovely little dink over the top of the defence by Van der Walt.

The second half started with fullback Boeta Chamberlain gathering a chip over the ruck by scrumhalf Zak Burger and racing away, setting up a try for eighthman Rudolph. An outstanding individual try by Jacobs followed and then it was Van der Walt’s turn to break, running practically from 22-to-22 before finding Rudolph storming through at great pace.

When replacement wing Cornel Smit scored in the 58^th minute, the Bulls went 59-0 up and were already ahead of the previous record winning margin for any Loftus Versfeld senior side against the team from Durban – 62-6 in the 1991 Lion Cup final.

The Sharks showed some character, however, and did okay in the final quarter, only conceding another try at the final hooter as replacement flank JJ Theron powered down the touchline to score.

Sharks coach JP Pietersen was bravely taking his medicine after the hiding, reminding the media that their objective in the Currie Cup is to develop players and not compromise their next URC campaign by sending for S.O.S. recruits from that squad.

He also pointed out that the Bulls had been particularly inspired on Saturday.

“It was close to the perfect game for the Bulls. They really hurt us in the collisions and at the breakdown. They kept stealing our ball and shutting us down. Their kicking game was good and then they would get a penalty and maul us,” Pietersen said.

DULLSTROOM (Mpumalanga) – Vodacom Bulls legend Akona Ndungane is clearly comfortable with change and, having mastered the gales around Highland Gate Golf and Trout Estate, he turned his attention to rugby and said it was no surprise Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has not just massaged his starting line-up for their second Rugby Championship Test against Australia but made a massive 10 changes to the run-on XV.

Ndungane is an avid golfer who plays off a five handicap, but playing in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Pro-Am Series is a first for the 43-year-old. It was also the first time he has played at Highland Gate, the 6717m course perched 2000m above sea level in the valleys and mountains of the Steenkampsberge. And then to make the challenge even more daunting, the wind blew at 30km/h on the first day of the pro-am.

“This is the first Vodacom Origins of Golf Pro-Am I’ve played in and it’s wonderful,” Ndungane said. “I love golf, both watching it and playing, and to be around the pros is really special. Just to be here at this beautiful course is amazing, especially for me, being my first time playing here.

“What an experience, especially with the wind blowing so hard it felt like the Western Cape or a coastal course. But our pros, Cara Gorlei and Keenan Davdise, were great company and I got to play with my mate OG Molefe. So it was a great outing, and we managed to lead after the first round.

“When conditions are tough, the quality comes through because you have to be more focused. If you hit it in the rough, then it was very tough, even to just try and find your ball. But the greens are firm and nice,” the former Springbok wing said.

Quality is also something the 2007 Rugby World Cup winner sees in the Springbok set-up at the moment. Ndungane believes the squad has advanced well in the development of their more attacking game, allowing Erasmus more flexibility in selection ahead of Saturday’s match against the Wallabies in Perth.

“In a way I expected that sort of start last week because we have seen the game-plan they are trying to implement. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is in amazing form and starting at flyhalf allows him to free himself, to express himself. They all seem to be really enjoying their rugby at the moment.

“They beat Australia 33-7, but the Wallabies were fortunate not to concede fifty points the way the Springboks dominated first phase, defence and attack. Those yellow cards at the end helped them.

“But it’s no surprise Dr Rassie has made so many changes. He’s trying to build depth and give players quality opportunities to see if they can cope. When you’re in a good place then you’re able to make changes. And I don’t think this team is really any weaker than last weekend’s.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing Lukhanyo Am playing at 12. We saw how good he was in his comeback against Portugal, even though injury has unfortunately slowed him down a bit. It’s an exciting combination in the backline with Sacha, Lukhanyo and Jesse Kriel playing together,” Ndungane said.

The Leinster trophy-drought continued in the most tightly-contested, gripping United Rugby Championship semi-finals at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday as the Bulls pipped them 25-20, a fairly freakish 67^th-minute try snatching the spoils.

Leinster went toe-to-toe with the powerful Bulls at their home fortress and were level at 20-20 after 64 minutes. In a match in which the stakes often felt as high as in a Test match, there was plenty of kicking and aerial battles as both teams prioritised territory.

And it was from an up-and-under that the outcome was decided. Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen launched the ball high towards the touchline with Ciaran Frawley seemingly safely underneath it. But Bulls winger Sergeal Petersen, a much shorter man, got up in the air to challenge and somehow sneaked a hand through on to the ball, tapping it out of the defender’s grasp and then regathering a split-second later, before an extravagant swallow-dive took him over the tryline.

The once-so-dominant Dubliners have now gone three seasons without winning either the URC or in Europe. The shortcomings on Saturday evening were in no way down to a lack of effort.

While the taut contest may not have been the greatest advert for exciting attacking rugby, the action was spellbinding and the quality unmistakeable.

The first quarter was scoreless as the Bulls dominated territory but Leinster threatened with their counter-thrusts. The home side thought they had opened the scoring in the 19^th minute but the try was put on ice due to flank Marco van Staden bringing flyhalf Ross Byrne to ground off the ball.

It began a five-minute period in which the Bulls were prone to err in their basics, as Goosen had a drop-out charged down by Garry Ringrose, who returned to action with a tremendous steely performance in midfield. From the scrum, Petersen was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on as Leinster worked the blindside, and the Bulls were then caught short again on that side in defence as wing James Lowe went over for the opening try.

The Bulls’ replied with their own try just six minutes later, however, with there off-the-ball work this time being superb as Goosen sprinted on to a pass from scrumhalf Embrose Papier in the shadow of the poles to knife through a Leinster defence which up till then had been stopping everything.

The scrum was perhaps the one area where Leinster were consistently shaded, and Goosen was able to kick a 41^st-minute penalty from that set-piece to give the Bulls a 10-7 halftime lead.

It meant a crowd of more than 31 000 were in jovial mood on a mild winter’s evening and their happiness only increased in the second minute of the second half as the Bulls scored a lovely try to stretch their lead to 17-7. A blindside move saw centre Harold Vorster in space down the touchline, his deft kick ahead then bounced perfectly for Petersen to gather and score.

The impressive flank Caelan Doris thundered over the tryline though in the 51^st minute, escorted by the muscle of Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy.

Byrne levelled the scores with a 59^th-minute penalty, slick work from Lowe having forced an offsides, but Goosen put the Bulls back in front three minutes later with another penalty.

An attempted jackal by Akker van der Merwe went wrong and cost the home side the lead as Byrne again slotted the penalty to make it 20-20.

But then it all went south for Leinster as the Bulls’ pressure-kicking game paid off and handed them a place in the United Rugby Championship final.

Scorers

Bulls – Tries: Johan Goosen, Sergeal Petersen (2). Conversions: Goosen (2). Penalty: Goosen (2).

Leinster – Tries: James Lowe, Caelan Doris. Conversions: Ross Byrne (2). Penalties: Byrne (2)

Teams

Bulls – Le Roux (Smit 56^th), Petersen, Kriel, Vorster, Williams, Goosen, Papier, Steenekamp (Matanzima 60^th), Grobbelaar (Van der Merwe 41^st), W. Louw (Klopper 60^th), Vermaak (Ludwig 65^th), Nortje, Van Staden (Carr 60^th), E. Louw, Hanekom.

Munster – O’Brien (Osborne 65^th), Lamour, Ringrose (Frawley 64^th), Henshaw, Lowe, Byrne, Gibson-Park (McGrath 62^nd), Porter (Healy 67th), Sheehan (Kelleher 67^th), Furlong (Alaalatoa 68^th), McCarthy, Ryan (Molony 66^th), Baird, Van der Flier (Conan 67^th), Doris.