Bulls mentor Jake White did his best on Friday to deny that they don’t see their United Rugby Championship (URC) match against the defending champions the Glasgow Warriors as a revenge match.
It’s the same Warriors who, under head coach Franco Smith, rocked up to Loftus Versfeld last season and beat the home side in the final to be crowned winners of the third edition. Friday’s duel at the Scotstoun Stadium (8.35pm kick-off) will be their first meet since that fateful Saturday in Pretoria in 2024.
The Bulls pencilled 25 April in as the meet-again with the champions and they will now get their date in a crucial final away game in the third-last round-robin clash of the season. Hunting for the second place on the overall log – they are in third and four points behind the Warriors – it’s a pivotal game for the perennial bridesmaid team of the URC.
“We don’t want you, as in the media, to be writing anything about words like revenge,” White said when asked why his players weren’t keen to speak about that fateful final.
“We would have had to play Glasgow some time and this is the first time since that game. Like any sportsperson, we had an opportunity that we missed and (this game) has nothing to do with revenge. It allows us now to play the same club that beat us and see how we do when playing against the champions.
YOUR team to face Glasgow Warriors tomorrow night 🔥
🆚 Glasgow Warriors
🗓️ 25 April 2025
⏰ KICK-OFF: 20:35
📍 Scotstoun Stadium
📺 SuperSport 201@Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA #KidsRound | #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/7mJy5rzNmP— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) April 24, 2025
“Last week we played the champions of two years ago. We took Munster as seriously as we are taking Glasgow. We know we won’t win the Championship by beating Glasgow this weekend because that title is no longer available. It was last year.
“But, anyone that plays at the highest level will always say next time we play them, we must play well and beat them. It’s not different for anyone else who’s been involved in a team.”
Focusing on the match, White said there are plenty of things they want to get out of the clash.
Four points between fifth and eleventh in the #VURC Race to the Eight 🤏🤏#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/GIb75mpqmT
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) April 24, 2025
He wants his side to build on the confidence they gained last week after beating Munster in tough circumstances. Then, this clash presents them with the opportunity to climb the URC log, looking at the final two home games as well.
“With that (one of the top spots on the log) comes home playoffs and that is a premium in anyone’s book. We would like to play at home in front of our crowd and finish as high as possible. We would like to beat Glasgow because they beat us last year.
The kick that won the match ☑️
Pure perfection from the tee 🤌@Vodacom #URC | #MUNvBUL pic.twitter.com/aoALkpqiOI
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) April 19, 2025
“They are the champions, and it is always nice to measure yourself against the winners of the competition.
“From a performance point of view, we want that confidence. It is our fourth week on tour, we’ve bonded, and the guys had fun getting to know each other. There are a lot of things we can get right if we put up a good performance and get a win.”
White made three changes and a couple of positional switches.
Marcell Coetzee and Cameron Hanekom 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 in the Bulls’ #VURC win over Munster 💪 pic.twitter.com/ir9hR6qdQR
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) April 24, 2025
Last weekend’s Player of the Match Marcell Coetzee misses out on the starting lineup, while Cameron Hanekom is completely on the sidelines for the duel with the champions.
Utility loose forward Marco van Staden takes over the No 8 jersey, while lock and captain Ruan Nortjé will slot in as flank alongside Jannes Kirsten.
Springbok Johan Grobbelaar will start at hooker with five-lock JF van Heerden taking over from Nortjé in the middle of the pack. Veteran Willie le Roux, who recently had a procedure on his neck, will make an impact off the bench, alongside Stedman Gans and Keagan Johannes.
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Canan Moodie, 14 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastiaan de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Ruan Nortjé, 6 Jannes Kirsten, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jacobus Grobbelaar, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Willie le Roux, 23 Stedman Gans.
