After months of struggle, the Bulls will be focused on building momentum when they tackle Edinburgh in the Scottish capital in the United Rugby Championship on Friday.
Friday 23 January
Edinburgh | Draw | Bulls
Hive Stadium
Match context
After enduring a run of seven straight losses in all competitions dating back to October, the Bulls pulled off the completely unexpected in downing a strong Pau outfit 26-24 at the Stade du Hameau on the weekend in their final Champions Cup pool game, sneaking themselves into the round of 16 in the process.
While their season appeared to be on the rocks heading into the encounter, the significance of that latest result could be huge in the context of their campaign going forward, with Johan Ackermann’s troops sure to take a good degree of confidence into their trip to Scotland.
The performance of their loosies in particular, namely Marcell Coetzee, Nizaam Carr and Mpilo Gumede, laid the platform for the win, with the trio’s aggression and commitment on defence shutting down Pau’s attack time and again. If they are selected to front Edinburgh, more of the same will be expected as the 11th-placed Pretoria franchise aims at forcing themselves back into the URC top eight.
10th-placed Edinburgh meanwhile are coming off the back of a big 63-10 Champions Cup loss at Bath and are in danger of being leapfrogged by their opponents this week given how they’ve racked up just one more point (17) than the three-time runners-up.
Despite their talented and experienced squad, Sean Everitt’s men have been largely underwhelming again this term, picking up just three wins and five defeats in the URC and having already lost out on a chance to win back the 1872 Cup for the first time since 2022 after successive December defeats to bitter foes Glasgow Warriors.
With the margins as fine as ever in the tournament, victory or defeat for either side will be pivotal in the wider context of the playoff fight.
Players to watch
Cheswill Jooste (Bulls)
Jooste’s try in the third quarter of the Bulls’ win in Pau turned the tide for them, with the 19-year-old former SA U20 player looking increasingly comfortable at the highest level. Many Bulls supporters are calling for more game time for the winger, and his performance last week certainly won’t hurt his chances.
Depending on how well the Edinburgh forward pack deals with the visitors, Jooste’s finishing ability out wide could make or break their efforts, especially if the Bulls’ defence is leaky again.
Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh)
Named Man of the Match in his side’s Champions Cup triumph over Gloucester a fortnight ago, 20-year-old Scotland international Douglas is fast translating his age-grade form to the pro ranks and is seemingly destined for a long career at the top.
While he’s not yet truly cemented a spot in Edinburgh’s starting XV, the flanker did wear the No 7 shirt in each of his club’s most recent European matchups, with his jackalling ability and ball-carrying prowess sure to play a big part against the uber physical Bulls forward pack.
If he can get under the Bulls’ skin by playing to his strengths, his influence could again be key.
Tactical overview
As mentioned before, the Bulls’ defence was much improved against Pau and a similar display will be the order of the day on Friday as Ackermann’s men look to build clarity when playing without the ball. Whether that performance was a turning point or just a one-off remains to be seen though, and, ever the pragmatist, the Bulls boss himself alluded to that fact after the game:
“The reality is that it is only one win. We next face a tough Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship. Edinburgh are one of the best teams in the URC and full of internationals.
“We will enjoy the win as a group and then reset and start focusing on Edinburgh. It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s only one win; it’s nothing to get overly excited about.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish club rested the majority of their frontline players in their big loss in Bath, meaning they will be well rested and refocused ahead of the arrival of the Herd. And the mere fact that Everitt opted to target this game as a must-win is significant and could be the difference-maker come minute 80.
If the Bulls don’t contain the Edinburgh back three of Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe and Wes Goosen, it could be tickets for them.
Prediction
This is likely to be another close affair, but the jury is still out on the Bulls and if Edinburgh’s forwards can stand up to their Saffa counterparts and free up their excellent backline, the home team will take the win. Back Edinburgh to do just that and take it by five points or more.
