Bulls banking on Pollard factor in a game of 'inches'

Johan Ackermann is rightfully proud of his team’s achievements, having reached the United Rugby Championship semifinals after a start to the season that saw them endure a seven-match losing streak and hover outside of the top 10.

That losing streak included a 12-21 reversal to Saturday’s opposition, Glasgow Warriors, at the Scotstoun Stadium.

Faced with the very real prospect of the three-time finalists not qualifying for the play-offs, Ackermann righted the listing ship by getting rid of assistant coaches Andries Bekker and Chris Rossouw and bringing in attack guru Neil de Bruin.

With his Springboks finally arriving in December, Ackermann and his team went on to win 10 of their final 11 regular-season matches, surging into fourth place on the final URC log before crushing Munster 45–14 in the quarterfinal to secure their semifinal berth.

In the build-up to Saturday’s big face-off at the iconic Murrayfield Stadium (Scotstoun is getting a facelift ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games), Ackermann praised his backroom staff and the players for the turnaround.

“In that ‘desert period’ I said: ‘I’m a man of faith and I believe in Jesus Christ’,” the deeply religious coach said.

He added that everything eventually worked out for the greater good at Loftus Versfeld.

However, he readily admitted that the ‘heat’ will be turned up significantly in a semifinal that will feature 31 players with Test experience.

The ‘hosts’, Glasgow Warriors, named 10 internationals in their starting line-up and five on the bench – South African-born Kyle Steyn (captain), Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Rowe, George Horne, Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Zander Fagerson, Rory Sutherland, Jamie Dobie, Adam Hastings (all Scotland), Sam Talakai (Australia) and Sione Vailanu (Tonga).

The Bulls named 16 Test players, 11 Springboks in their starting XV and an additional five capped players on the bench – Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee, Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Nizaam Carr and Cobus Wiese.

That means the game will be contested at ‘close to’ Test match level.

(WATCH as Bulls coach Johan Ackermann previews his team’s URC semifinal face-off with Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield on Saturday…..)

“We can set a better scene than playing it at a Test stadium,” Ackermann told Rugby365, adding: “It is a nice challenge and a great privilege to play at an iconic stadium.”

Given the enormity of the occasion, he said they will take a more measured approach and not take too many risks.

“Tomorrow [Saturday] is not about scoring tries and bonus points.

“You just need to win, even if it is with just one point.”

He said the option of taking kicks at goal from penalties will be considered more than in a regular season game, but he will trust the team leaders to make the right calls during the match.

Having lost twice to Glasgow this season, once in the URC (12-21) and also in the Champions Cup (21-25), the Bulls have a good idea about what ‘tweaks’ to make to their game plan.

That is where the experience of a double World Cup winner like Handre Pollard will come into the equation.

“The team has been there,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “Most of the players have been in semifinals and play-offs before.

“It is nice to have someone like Handre Pollard, who has done it at the highest level [World Cup], and it is going to be a game of inches.”

He said the players should not put added pressure on themselves because of the occasion.

“It is a great privilege to play in the semifinal, and we must ensure we enjoy the occasion.

“We must take the challenge head-on.”

Glasgow Warriors, who finished as the tournament’s top-ranked side, had previously not ended higher than fourth place.

The Warriors’ most recent loss on ‘home’ soil in the URC was to Saturday’s opponents, the Bulls, in Round 16 last season.

The Bulls have never lost in the URC semifinals, but have lost three of the last four Finals.

The Bulls have beaten Glasgow in Scotland just once, 26-19 in April 2025.

They also finished as the highest points scorers (566) and top try scorers (82) in the URC regular season.

In all seven head-to-head clashes in the URC, Glasgow have won four and the Bulls three.

@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com