URC 2025/26 · Round 14
Bulls
Cardiff Rugby
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Championship Standings
Cardiff sit 3rd on 40 points from 12 games — firmly in the playoff places after an outstanding season built on home dominance and Welsh derby superiority. The Bulls are 8th on 30 points after last week’s 19–32 home loss to the Stormers snapped their three-match winning streak. A win here keeps the Bulls’ top-eight hopes alive; Cardiff can consolidate their remarkable playoff push with a rare victory on South African soil.
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Glasgow Warriors | 12 | 9 | 3 | +150 | 45 |
| 2 |  Leinster | 12 | 8 | 4 | +67 | 41 |
| 3 | Cardiff | 12 | 8 | 4 | +35 | 40 |
| 4 |  Munster | 12 | 8 | 4 | +15 | 39 |
| 5 |  Stormers | 10 | 8 | 2 | +113 | 36 |
| 6 |  Ulster | 11 | 7 | 4 | +83 | 36 |
| 7 |  Lions | 11 | 7 | 4 | −20 | 33 |
| 8 | Bulls | 11 | 6 | 5 | +5 | 30 |
| 9 |  Ospreys | 12 | 5 | 5 | −13 | 29 |
| 10 |  Connacht | 11 | 4 | 7 | −21 | 25 |
| 11 |  Sharks | 10 | 4 | 5 | −36 | 24 |
| 12 |  Edinburgh | 11 | 4 | 7 | +6 | 23 |
| 13 |  Benetton | 12 | 4 | 7 | −65 | 23 |
| 14 |  Dragons | 12 | 3 | 7 | −50 | 20 |
| 15 |  Scarlets | 11 | 3 | 7 | −71 | 16 |
| 16 |  Zebre | 11 | 2 | 9 | −154 | 12 |
Bulls
W3, L2The Bulls’ season has been a rollercoaster. Three dominant wins — the 41–12 demolition of the Sharks, 52–17 annihilation of the Lions, and a gutsy 19–17 at Edinburgh — looked like the turning point, but last week’s 19–32 home loss to the Stormers was a reality check. At Loftus they’ve been formidable when it clicks — the 39–31 win over Leinster and the Sharks hammering prove that — but six losses from twelve is not playoff form.
Cardiff Rugby
W3, L2Cardiff’s season has been nothing short of remarkable — 8 wins from 12 and sitting 3rd in the URC is a transformation few predicted. The 8–7 win over Leinster was the standout: a bruising, low-scoring arm-wrestle that proved Cardiff can grind out results against the elite. Away from Cardiff they’ve been vulnerable — losses at Ulster and Ospreys show they can be beaten when they don’t control territory. South Africa is the ultimate away trip, and their record here is grim.
Head-to-Head at Loftus
2 – 0 – 0
Bulls wins · Draws · Cardiff wins (2 meetings)
Bulls (2)This is a one-sided history. The Bulls have won both previous meetings against Cardiff — 45–21 in Pretoria in 2025 and 45–9 at Loftus back in 2022. That’s an average winning margin of 30 points. Cardiff have never beaten the Bulls, and never won at Loftus Versfeld.
Recent Results
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | URC | Bulls 45–21 Cardiff |
| Dec 2022 | URC | Bulls 45–9 Cardiff |
Average score in the last 6 meetings: Bulls 45 – Cardiff 15 in two meetings. Total dominance — Cardiff have never come close.
Extended Form
Bulls6W, 6L
Wins: Sharks (41–12, URC), Lions (52–17, URC away), Edinburgh (19–17, URC away), Connacht (28–27, URC away), Leinster (39–31, URC), Section Paloise (26–24, EPCR away). Losses: Stormers (19–32, URC), Bristol (49–61, EPCR), Stormers (8–13, URC away), Northampton (5–50, EPCR away), Bordeaux (33–46, EPCR), Lions (33–43, URC).
The Bulls’ European campaign was disastrous — losses to Bristol (49–61), Northampton (5–50) and Bordeaux (33–46) exposed severe limitations against top-tier opposition. Domestically they’re a different proposition at Loftus, where the altitude and vocal crowd make them formidable. The 39–31 win over Leinster was their statement result, but last week’s Stormers loss showed they’re not invincible at home.
Cardiff Rugby8W, 4L
Wins: Leinster (8–7, URC), Benetton (17–8, URC), Racing 92 (32–13, ERCC), Dragons (22–19, URC), Ulster (29–26, URC), Edinburgh (20–19, URC), Connacht (14–8, URC), Dragons (24–17, URC). Losses: Ulster (14–21, URC away), Exeter (0–31, EPCR away), Ospreys (22–33, URC away), Munster (20–23, URC away).
Cardiff’s transformation this season is built on home results — six of their eight wins came at the Arms Park. Away from home they’ve been more hit-and-miss. The 31–0 Exeter humiliation in the EPCR was their nadir. South Africa is the toughest away trip in the URC — Cardiff lost 45–21 here last season.
Bulls XV
Lineups have not yet been announced for this fixture. The Bulls are expected to make changes after last week’s Stormers defeat, with coach Jake White likely to recall fresh legs. Handré Pollard, Ruan Nortje and the Springbok front-row contingent should all feature.
Cardiff Rugby XV
Lineups have not yet been announced for this fixture. Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt will need to manage his squad carefully given the travel demands of a South African tour. Expect a strong side — with a playoff place to defend, Cardiff cannot afford to rest too many frontliners.
Key Matchups
The Bulls will dominate up front. Their Springbok-laden pack — Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Nortje, Wiese — gives them a significant physical advantage, particularly in the scrum and lineout. The altitude at Loftus (1,350m) compounds the issue — visiting packs tire faster, and the Bulls’ bench depth means they can turn the screw in the final quarter. Cardiff’s best hope is to match the Bulls’ intensity at the breakdown and play territory-based rugby, but the set-piece differential is likely too great.
Match Forecast
The Bulls should win this comfortably. The head-to-head record is damning — 45–21 and 45–9 in their two previous meetings at Loftus, an average margin of 30 points. Cardiff have never won in South Africa, and the altitude, the travel fatigue, and the Bulls’ overwhelming pack advantage make an upset near-impossible. The Bulls lost to the Stormers at home last week, but the Stormers are a South African side accustomed to the conditions — Cardiff are not.
Cardiff’s one hope is that the Bulls are mentally fragile after the Stormers defeat and come out flat. The 8–7 win over Leinster showed Cardiff have the defensive resolve to suffocate attacking sides, and if they can keep this tight through 60 minutes they could make it interesting. But Loftus at altitude on a Friday night is as hostile as it gets — the Bulls will be desperate to bounce back, and Cardiff are the perfect opposition for a statement performance.
Bulls to bounce back emphatically at Loftus — Cardiff’s admirable season hits the South African wall.