Bulls on course for best URC points tally

The Bulls appear destined for their best finish on the United Rugby Championship (URC) points table.

In 2024 they finished second behind Munster after racking up 66 points, and while they may not finish higher this season they look on course to beat that points tally.

They finished fourth with 58 points in the inaugural year of the URC and were sixth with 53 points the next year.

Conservative estimates suggest they will top that tally this season, having already bagged 35 log points and with seven of their remaining nine league matches set to be played at Loftus Versfeld.

The Bulls can establish themselves in the top two of the competition with the potential promise of a coveted home semifinal should they reach the quarterfinals.

They trail Glasgow Warriors by two points but victory at home over the Sharks on Saturday will cause them to leapfrog the defending champions into second spot.

Moreover, having already won five of their nine matches away they are now well placed to surge closer to Leinster who are the runaway leaders, 11 points in the clear over the Warriors.

They may have a tough schedule over the next few weeks with clashes against the Sharks, Lions, Stormers and Leinster but, crucially, they are all at home. They will follow that sequence with another home match against Zebre Parma.

They have tough away matches against Munster and Glasgow Warriors before returning home for less challenging clashes against Cardiff and the Dragons.

With seven home games remaining they could make significant inroads into Leinster’s lead at the top, especially if they win their March 21 matchup at Loftus.

Victory for the Sharks on Saturday could seriously upset those ambitions though. A win for the visitors will bring them firmly back into contention for a top-two spot — within arm’s length of the Bulls as well as the Warriors, on whom they have a game in hand.

The Sharks face the Lions, Zebre Parma and Leinster, then they are away to Edinburgh and Ulster before closing their league programme against the Ospreys and Scarlets in Durban. They will eye at least six wins from those fixtures.

The Bulls’ and Sharks’ top-two fortunes will be inextricably linked to that of Glasgow Warriors. The Warriors’ round 16 and 18 clashes against the Bulls (at home) and Leinster (away) will be telling in the ultimate shape of the top four.

The Lions and Stormers, who clash at Ellis Park on Saturday, have not given up hope of a high finish in the URC. Lions No 8 Francke Horn said they could still make the top four, but that may be a little ambitious.

The Stormers are perhaps better placed but for them, too, getting into the top four is a tall order. They will have to go blemish free for the rest of the league programme, though seven wins may give them an outside chance of sneaking into the top four.

They have a forgiving home run of matches against Connacht, Benetton, the Dragons and Cardiff to close their league programme.

The Lions have a similar roster to conclude their league commitments with matches against Benetton, Connacht, Scarlets and Ospreys.

However it is their performance in their three remaining derby matches that will determine whether they reach the URC knock-out rounds for the first time.

The Lions have recorded just two wins in their past eight derbies, both against the Sharks last season. They have not recorded a win over the Stormers since December 2021, while their only win over the Bulls came in March 2023.