Bulls hope to stay competitive on two fronts

South African teams have struggled to juggle the URC with European competition since joining in 2022, but the Bulls hope to change that this season.

The Pretoria union got the proverbial monkey off their backs with an emphatic 56-20 win over Stade Français at Loftus on Saturday, after failing to win either of their home games in the Champions Cup last year.

The eight-try win put them top of pool 4 after the opening round, with neither Montpellier nor Northampton Saints earning bonus points from their wins.

Bulls struggle on two fronts

The Bulls now head back to the United Rugby Championship, where they are third after two bonus-point victories and one defeat.

They face Ulster at Loftus on Saturday afternoon, then Scarlets also at home the following week before the November international break.

Last season, the Bulls reached the URC final for the fourth time in five seasons.

But those home defeats to Union Bordeaux Bègles and Bristol Bears meant they only snuck into the Champions Cup last-16 after a narrow away win over Pau.

They have only reached the Champions Cup quarter-finals once.

‘I’d love to stay competitive’

Johan Ackermann said he found it an adjustment to play on both fronts when he took over the reins at the Bulls last season.

“My first year was a new experience,” he said.

“The big thing is home games. We lost to Bordeaux, then had to travel to Northampton, and in between there are big decisions about how much you invest in each competition.”

He said injuries tested their squad depth – as has been the case for the other South African teams.

But the Bulls have “improved our competitiveness and depth since then. The players know how we play now. There’s more cohesion.

“If we stay healthy and win our home games, I’d love to stay competitive in both, because I still think this is one of the best competitions out there.”

Ackermann praised his team’s determination during testing periods against Stade Français, saying the flattering scoreline did not reflect the struggle.

Cheswill Jooste, 20, is set to feature more often in the URC after his hat-trick against the French side. Fans should also see more of Luan Giliomee and Sango Xamlashe after good showings on their Bulls debuts.