Bulls v Stormers - Teams and Prediction

URC, RESCHEDULED ROUND: Predicting the outcome of a South African derby is almost always a fool’s errand.

This season alone has proved that point. The Lions defied expectations to claim the local Shield, while the Sharks, underdogs in both meetings with the Stormers, emerged victorious in the coastal derbies.

But the North-South clash between the Bulls and Stormers might be the hardest of all to call.

History in the United Rugby Championship era heavily favours the Cape side. The Stormers have beaten the Bulls nine times, with Pretoria managing just two wins.

That tally includes the Stormers’ victories in the 2022 final and the 2023 quarterfinal, underlining their recent dominance in the rivalry.

Yet form and history rarely count for much when these teams meet.

The North-South derby almost always delivers a brutal, tight contest filled with physicality and Springbok class across the field.

Saturday’s clash at Loftus Versfeld carries an added milestone as Marco van Staden prepares to earn his 100th cap for the Bulls. This time, however, the hard-nosed forward will focus purely on his role in the back row rather than doubling as a replacement hooker.

*Also read Matfield dissects Bulls’ resurgence under Johan Ackermann

Coach Johan Ackermann explained the decision.

“I think he is a world-class backrower and we will take it week by week to see what role he is going to play,” Ackermann said.

“We are fortunate that we have the qualities of Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Johan Grobbelaar, so selection is tough to plan. But for this weekend specifically, we felt his impact from the back row can be big for us.”

Ackermann also expects a fierce response from a Stormers side eager to halt a four-match losing streak.

“We do expect a desperate team,” he admitted.

“Any time you start losing games, you come under pressure, and you become desperate. We were in that position ourselves.

“We’re still desperate because we’re not in a good position on the table yet, so we need to keep performing. But they will definitely be up for the challenge.”

Despite their recent struggles, the Stormers remain a dangerous opponent. Injuries have disrupted their pack, particularly at lock, where both Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden are unavailable, but the squad still carries plenty of attacking threat.

#TeamAnnouncement: Stormers bolster matchday squad with experienced stars 👇#URC #Bulls #Stormers #BULvSTO https://t.co/LGl5l9yDfh

— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) March 13, 2026

On how they manage the pressure of a North–South derby when the team is searching for form, Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman told reporters on Friday: “The players won’t need any motivation. The game is probably one of the biggest for us this season.

“It is such a special occasion for us. So we will know the guys are up for it. We feel we are one or two moments away from hitting our traps.

“We are actually looking forward to those moments to challenge ourselves, and we know the moment we can click and play as we can, we will be a tough team,” he explained.

The Bulls have brought back some of their experienced forwards, and Snyman is expecting a huge battle up front.

“It will be massive. A guy like Wilco, coming back and starting, and we know setpiece against the Bulls is always a massive battle. The momentum starts up front, so we know we have to be sharp in that area.”

The Stormers received a timely boost with captain Ruhan Nel among several experienced players returning for the big clash.

Centurions Neethling Fouché, Deon Fourie, and Damian Willemse are all included in the starting XV alongside Nel, who resumes the captaincy and will partner with Willemse in midfield.

Both teams boast influential halfback pairings. The Bulls will rely on the sharp service of Embrose Papier and the calm control of Handré Pollard, while the Stormers have built much of their attacking structure around the mercurial Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

When the Bulls and Stormers collide, logic and form tend to go out the window, leaving only the certainty that another fierce North-South battle awaits.

Players to watch:

For the Bulls: Marco van Staden is a fearless warrior, a player who plays towards the ball. This time round, he can solely focus on being a loose forward without having to worry about the role of a Nr.16. This will be a key element of the Bulls’ attack. The halfback combination of Handre Pollard and Embrose Papier is vital for the Bulls, as is the No.10’s kicking, which hasn’t been pinpointed in recent weeks. The battle up front will be tremendous so the roles of Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp will be huge.

For the Stormers: There is no denying it – the duel of the 10s will be the highlight of this match. And it’s the old guard against the new generation – Pollard v Feinberg-Mngomezulu. If the latter can counter with clever attacking kicks and long clearances, the Stormers will stay in the fight. Neethling Fouché, André-Hugo Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu will be tested in spieces and will have their work cut out against a formidable opponent. JD Schickerling and Adré Smith’s battle with Ruan Nortje and Ruan Vermaak in the line-out should be mouthwatering.

Prediction: 

Rugby365: Bulls by five points

Teams:

Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Alu Tshakweni, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Willie le Roux.

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Paul de Villiers, 20 Hacjivah Dayimani, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jonathan Roche, 23 Wandisile Simelane.

Date: Saturday, March 14
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Kick-off: 14.00 SAST; 12.00 GMT
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Morne Ferreira (South Africa), Griffin Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)