2025–26 Bulls (rugby union) season

Transfers

Matches

The full list of fixtures for the 2025–26 season were released by the league on 21 March 2025.^[12][13][14]

27 September 2025	(1 BP) Bulls	53–40	Ospreys (1 BP)	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
13:00	Try: Coetzee (2) 8' c, 21' m Grobbelaar (3) 39' c, 45' m, 58' c Jooste (2) 51' m, 72' m Serfontein 61' m Else 68' c Con: Johannes (4) 9', 40', 59', 69'	Report	Try: Giles (2) 2', 80' Keiran Williams (2) 6', 35' Walsh 30' Morse 66' Con: Edwards (5) 6', 31', 36', 66', 80+1'	Attendance: 2,992 Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)

4 October 2025	(1 BP) Bulls	39–31	Leinster (1 BP)	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
17:30	Try: De Klerk 4' c Kriel (2) 16' m, 78' c Gumede 41' c Le Roux 58' m Jacobs 68' m Con: Johannes (2) 5', 42' Kriel 79' Pen: Johannes 35'	Report	Try: Clarkson 30' c Cooney 44' c T. O'Brien 46' c Penny 66' c Con: Prendergast (4) 31', 45', 47', 66' Pen: Prendergast 20' Cards: Connors  21'	Attendance: 6,937 Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)

11 October 2025	(1 BP) Ulster	28–7	Bulls	Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast
19:45	Try: McCloskey 22' c Augustus 49' c Herring 54' c Izuchukwu 57' c Con: Doak (4) 22', 50', 55', 58' Cards: Herring  27'	Report	Try: Louw 27' c Con: Pollard 28' Cards: Rudolph  47'	Attendance: 10,629 Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

17 October 2025	(1 BP) Connacht	27–28	Bulls	The Sportsground, Galway
19:45	Try: Ioane 10' c Blade 45' c Naughton 68' m Hansen 79' m Con: Ioane (2) 11', 46' Pen: Naughton 74' Cards: Murphy  19'	report	Try: de Wet (2) 13' m, 54' c le Roux 20' c Con: Johannes (2) 21', 55' Pen: Johannes (2) 63', 72' Drop: Johannes 43'	Attendance: 4,000[15] Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

24 October 2025	Glasgow Warriors	21–12	Bulls	Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
19:45	Try: Tuipulotu 5' c Penalty try 65' McBeth 70' c Con: Hastings (2) 6', 71' Cards: McBeth  53'	Report	Try: Jacobs 11' m le Roux 49' c Con: Johannes 49' Cards: Klopper  65'	Attendance: 6,848[16] Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)

29 November 2025	(1 BP) Bulls	33–43	Lions (1 BP)	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
12:00	Try: Papier (2) 30' c, 33' c Van der Merwe 40' m Johannes 76' c De Klerk 77' c Con: Johannes (4/5) (31', 34', 76', 78')	Report	Try: Mpeku 19' c Steyn (2) 23' c, 74' c Cairns 36' m E. Oosthuizen 52' c Keyter 72' c Con: CW Smith (5/6) 19', 24', 53', 73', 74' Pen: CW Smith (11')	Attendance: 14,122 Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)

20 December 2025	Sharks	21–12	Bulls	Kings Park Stadium, Durban
16:00	Try: Kunene 15' c Kolisi 71' c Van der Merwe 77' c Con: Hendrikse 16' Whitehead (2) 72', 78'	Report	Pen: Pollard (4) 19', 24', 38', 57' Cards: Kriel  29'	Attendance: 44,517 Referee: Griffin Colby (South Africa)

3 January 2026	Stormers	13–8	Bulls (1 BP)	Cape Town Stadium
16:00	Try: Roos 39' m Mchunu 79' m Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 35'		Try: Pollard 31' Pen: Pollard 44 ' Cards: le Roux  35'	Attendance: 53,682 Referee: Griffin Colby (South Africa)

23 January 2026	(1 BP) Edinburgh	17–19	Bulls	Edinburgh Rugby Stadium
19:45	Try: Van der Merwe 6' m Schoeman 17' m Rae 34' c Con: Thompson (1/3) 25'	Report	Try: Coetzee 12' m Grobbelaar 44' c Van Staden 70' c Con: Pollard (2/3) 45', 71'	Attendance: 6,648 Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

31 January 2026	Lions	17–52	Bulls (1 BP)	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
12:30	Try: Van den Berg 45' c Mills 80+1' c Con: C. Smith (2) 46' 80+2' Pen: Smith 23'	Report	Try: Vorster (2) 10' c, 55' c Grobbelaar 32' m Pollard 38' c Arendse 40' c Papier 66' c Gumede 75' m Johannes 78' c Con: Pollard (5) 11', 39' 40+1', 56', 67' Johannes 79' Cards: Arendse  16'	Attendance: 12,571 Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

28 February 2026	(1 BP) Bulls	41–12	Sharks	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
15:00	Try: Moodie 15' m de Klerk 27' m Papier (2) 30' c, 37' m Vorster (2) 65' c, 79' m de Wet 69' c Con: Pollard (3) 31', 66', 70'	Report	Try: Van der Merwe 48' Jacobs 62' Con: Hendrikse 63'	Attendance: 32,672 Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

14 March 2026	Bulls	19–32	Stormers (1BP)	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
12:00	Try: Penalty try 19' Burger 67' c Arendse 79' m Con: Pollard (1/2) 68' Cards: Wiese  64' Van Staden  66'		Try: Willemse 31' c De Villiers 57' m Penalty try 66' Daymani 70' c Con: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2/3) 31', 70' Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2/4) 40', 51' Cards: A. Smith  14' Dixon  19'	Attendance: 33,280 Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

20 March 2026	(1 BP) Bulls	40–7	Cardiff	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
17:00	Try: Coetzee 9' c Grobbelaar 14' m Kriel 27' c Papier 35' c Louw 40' c Vermaak 57' c Con: Pollard (4/5) 10', 28', 36', 41' Kriel (1/1) 58'	Report	Try: Millard 3' c Con: Sheedy (1/1) 4' Cards: Lawrence  8'	Attendance: 6,603 Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

21 March 2026	(1 BP) Sharks	45–0	Munster	Kings Park Stadium, Durban
15:00	Try: Buthelezi 7' c Giliomee 28' m Ganyane 51' c Van Heerden 57' c Malan 77' c Mapimpi (2) 79' c, 80+1' m Con: Hendrikse (3/4) 8', 51', 58' J. Smith (2/3) 78' , 80'	Report		Attendance: 14,539 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

17 April 2026	Dragons	7–47	Bulls (1 BP)	Rodney Parade, Newport
19:45	Try: Inisi 23' c Con: Evans 24'	Report	Try: Papier 11' c Grobbelaar 37' m Coetzee 44' c Van Staden (2) 57' c, 74' c Williams 77' c Petersen 80' c Con: Pollard (3/4) 11', 45', 58' Kriel (3/3) 75', 78', 81'	Attendance: 5,892 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

25 April 2026	(1 BP) Scarlets	21–23	Bulls	Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
19:45	Try: Woolley 9' m James 20' m Anderson 50' m Pen: Hawkins (2) 63', 75'	Report	Try: Jooste 3' c Pollard 28' c Con: Pollard (2/2) 4', 29' Pen: Pollard (3) 57', 69', 81' Cards: Gans  44' klopper  49'	Attendance: 5,180 Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

9 May 2026	(1 BP) Bulls	54–19	Zebre Parma	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
12:45	Try: le Roux 3' c Moodie 14' c Jooste 23' m Petersen 30' c Vermaak 49' c Hanekom 63' c Vorster 69' c Rudolph 77' c Con: Le Roux (7/8) 4', 15', 31', 50', 63', 70', 78'	Report	Try: Trulla 20' c Ribaldi 41' m Dominguez 59' c Con: Roger (2/3) 21', 60'	Attendance: 5,685 Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

16 May 2026	(1 BP) Bulls	45–19	Benetton	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
15:00	Try: Petersen (2) 4' c, 57' c Le Roux 13' c Grobbelaar 29' m Wiese 38' c Gumede 63' c Nortjé 75' m Con: Pollard (5/7) 5', 13', 38', 58', 64'	Report	Try: Lynagh (2) 19' m, 42' c R. Smith 40' c Con: R. Smith (2/3) 40', 43' Cards: Garbisi  32'	Attendance: 10,521 Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)

Table

More information Pos, Pld ...

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Glasgow Warriors	18	13	0	5	479	338	+141	72	48	11	2	65	Qualification for the Champions Cup and knockout stage
2	Leinster (CH)	18	12	0	6	515	370	+145	77	51	13	2	63
3	Stormers	18	12	1	5	504	344	+160	63	48	9	1	60
4	Bulls (RU)	18	12	0	6	576	406	+170	82	59	10	1	59
5	Munster	18	11	0	7	396	376	+20	59	51	8	3	55
6	Cardiff	18	11	0	7	353	372	−19	52	52	7	4	55
7	Lions	18	10	1	7	532	473	+59	73	70	9	3	54
8	Connacht	18	10	0	8	442	395	+47	62	56	10	4	54
9	Ulster	18	9	1	8	494	420	+74	72	60	10	4	52	Qualification for the Challenge Cup
10	Sharks	18	8	1	9	467	428	+39	71	57	9	3	46
11	Ospreys	18	7	2	9	376	454	−78	55	69	4	3	39
12	Edinburgh	18	7	0	11	362	439	−77	57	66	6	4	38
13	Benetton	18	6	2	10	327	493	−166	41	71	4	1	33
14	Scarlets	18	4	2	12	361	460	−99	52	63	3	5	28
15	Dragons	18	3	4	11	350	481	−131	46	71	4	4	28
16	Zebre	18	2	0	16	312	587	−275	43	85	3	4	15

Close

Play-offs

The top eight teams in the regular season standings advance to the knockout stage, a single-elimination tournament culminating in a Grand Final to crown the overall champion.

Teams are seeded based on the regular season standings, with teams ranked 1–4 receiving home field advantage in the quarter-final, with 1 playing 8, 2 playing 7 etc. The top two teams in the standings are seeded so as not to meet until the Grand Final.

Home-field advantage for the semi-finals and Grand Final will be awarded to the highest-ranked team in each tie; the top two teams are therefore guaranteed home advantage until the final for as long as they remain in the tournament, and the top ranked team, Glasgow Warriors, in the standings will be awarded home advantage should they reach the Grand Final. In the build up to the final week of the regular season, it was reported that Glasgow Warriors may be forced to play a semi-final and final outside Scotland due to venue unavailability, although they would technically remain the home team. In the week of the quarter-final, it was announced they would, if they progressed, play their semi-final and Grand Final on home soil, at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh.^[18]

Cardiff and Lions both made the play-offs for the first time. Stormers, Glasgow Warriors, Leinster, Munster and Bulls reached their fifth URC play-off phase from five seasons. Glasgow Warriors became the first non-Irish team to top the regular season table and take the number one seeding since they did so themselves in 2019.

	Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	1	Glasgow Warriors	33
	8	Connacht	21
						1	Glasgow Warriors	21
						4	Bulls	22
	4	Bulls	45
	5	Munster	14
											2	Leinster	36
											4	Bulls	7
	3	Stormers	44
	6	Cardiff	21
						2	Leinster	20
						3	Stormers	11
	2	Leinster	59
	7	Lions	10

Quarter-final

30 May 2026	Bulls (4)	45–14	(5) Munster	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
13:00	Try: Papier (2) 5' c, 54' c Arendse 8' c Grobbelaar 35' c Hanekom 39' c Jacobs 59' c Con: Pollard (6/6) 5', 10', 36', 40', 54', 60' Pen: Pollard 23'	Report	Try: O'Donoghue 20' c Nankivell 32' c Con: Hanrahan (2/2) 20', 33'	Attendance: 18,756 Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)

Semi-final

6 June 2026	Glasgow Warriors (1)	21–22	(4) Bulls	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
14:30	Try: Steyn (2) 15' c, 19' c Penalty try 35' Con: Lancaster (2/2) 16', 20' Cards: Cummings  44'	Report	Try: Grobbelaar 32' c Papier 45' m Klopper 53' c Con: Pollard (2/3) 32', 54' Pen: Pollard 7' Cards: Pollard  9' Nortjé  25'	Attendance: 17,981 Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Grand Final

19 June 2026	Leinster (2)	v	(4) Bulls	Croke Park, Dublin
19:30

URC South African Shield

More information Team, P ...

2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables view · watch · edit · discuss
South African Shield
	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TBP	LBP	Pts	Pos overall
1	Lions	6	4	0	2	168	173	–5	21	25	2	1	19	7
2	Sharks	6	3	0	3	143	153	–10	21	19	3	1	16	10
3	Stormers	6	3	0	3	132	144	–12	16	19	2	0	14	3
4	Bulls	6	2	0	4	165	138	+27	24	19	3	1	12	4
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[19] number of matches won the difference between points for and points against the number of tries scored the most points scored the difference between tries for and tries against the fewest red cards received the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields. (S) : URC Shield champion

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Pool stage

Bulls were drawn in Pool 4 of the 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup alongside URC rivals Scarlets (who they did not meet in the pool stage as per the rules of the competition), as well as reigning European champions Bordeaux and Pau from France, and Bristol Bears and last year's Champions Cup runners up Northampton Saints from the English Premiership.

More information Pos, Pld ...

European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 4

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Bordeaux Bègles (1)	4	4	0	0	173	97	+76	27	14	4	0	20	Home Champions Cup round of 16
2	Northampton Saints (5)	4	3	0	1	156	110	+46	23	16	4	0	16
3	Bristol Bears (10)	4	3	0	1	154	104	+50	23	13	2	0	14	Away Champions Cup round of 16
4	Bulls (15)	4	1	0	3	113	181	−68	17	27	3	0	7
5	Pau (12CC)	4	1	0	3	110	160	−50	15	23	1	1	6	Away Challenge Cup round of 16
6	Scarlets	4	0	0	4	103	157	−54	13	24	2	1	3

Close

6 December 2025	(1 BP) Bulls	33–46	Bordeaux Bègles (1 BP)	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
16:15	Try: De Klerk 8' c Ludwig 20' c Van der Merwe 25' c Moodiee 37' m Rudolph 39' c Con: Pollard (4/5) 9', 21', 26', 40' Cards: Kriel  42' Pollard  52'	Report	Try: Penaud 4' c Bielle-Biarrey (2) 11' c, 61' c Lamothe 23' m Palu 49' m Jalibert 69' c Rayasi 71' m Con: Jalibert (2/3) 5', 12' Lucu (2/3) 62', 70' Pen: Jalibert (1/1) 34'	Attendance: 7,327 Referee: Karl Dickson (England)

14 December 2025	(1 BP) Northampton Saints	50–5	Bulls	Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
15:15	Try: Sleightholme (2) 8' c, 61' m Hendy (3) 32' c, 48' c, 68' m Pollock 56' c Coles 59' c Kemeny 79' m Con: Smith (5/8) 9', 33', 49', 57', 59'	Report	Try: Jacobs 22' m Cards: Tshakweni  53'	Attendance: 14,574 Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

10 January 2026	(1 BP) Bulls	49–61	Bristol Bears (1 BP)	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
14:00	Try: Rudolph 13' c Jacobs (2) 18' c, 27' c Kriel 43' c de Klerk 72' c le Roux 74' c Con: Pollard (6/6) 13', 19', 28', 44', 72', 75' Cards: le Roux  56'	Report	Try: Van Rensburg 2' c Lahiff 5' c Heward (3) 7' c, 21' c, 41' m Ravouvou (2) 15' c, 59' c Marmion 24' c Rubiolo 56' c Con: Jordan (8/9) 3', 6', 8', 15', 22', 25', 57', 60' Cards: Lane  38'	Attendance: 11,016 Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

16 January 2026	(1 BP) Pau	24–26	Bulls (1 BP)	Stade du Hameau, Pau
20:00	Try: Delhommel (2) 9' c, 39' c Maximin 32’ c Con: Mondinat (1/1) 10' Souverbie (2/2) 33', 40' Pen: Souverbie 48' Cards: Leclayat  69'	Report	Try: Gumede 3' m Van der Merwe, 29' c Jooste 57' c Carr 73' c Con: Pollard (3/4) 30', 58', 73' Cards: Ludwig  38'	Attendance: 12,728 Referee: Karl Dickson (England)

Knockout stage

	Round of 16					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	1	Bordeaux Bègles	64
	16	Leicester Tigers	14
						1	Bordeaux Bègles	30
						8	Toulouse	15
	8	Toulouse	59
	9	Bristol Bears	26
											1	Bordeaux Bègles	38
											4	Bath	26
	4	Bath	31
	13	Saracens	22
						4	Bath	43
						5	Northampton Saints	41
	5	Northampton Saints	49
	12	Castres	41
																1	Bordeaux Bègles	41
																3	Leinster	19
	2	Glasgow Warriors	25
	15	Bulls	21
						2	Glasgow Warriors	19
						7	Toulon	22
	7	Toulon	28
	10	Stormers	27
											3	Leinster	29
											7	Toulon	25
	3	Leinster	49
	14	Edinburgh	31
						3	Leinster	43
						11	Sale Sharks	13
	6	Harlequins	17
	11	Sale Sharks	26

Bulls were drawn against URC rivals Glasgow Warriors in the round of 16.

4 April 2026	Glasgow Warriors (2)	25–21	(15) Bulls	Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
17:30	Try: Williamson 17' c Dempsey 33' m Schickerling 56' m McDowall 71' m Con: Lancaster (1/4) 18' Pen: Hastings (1/1) 80'	Report	Try: Grobbelaar 25' m Van Staden 76' c Con: Kriel (1/1) 77' Pen: Pollard (3/3) 12', 31', 39' Cards: Louw  79'	Attendance: 7,321 Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)