Vodacom Bulls’ attack coach Neil de Bruin said they will not underestimate Zebre Parma ahead of their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 9 May 2026 at 13:45 (SA Time).
Despite never losing to Zebre in the United Rugby Championship, and Zebre being rooted at the bottom of the table, Bulls attack coach Neil de Bruin confirmed there is "certainly no complacency," stressing that a slip-up could cost them their place in the wide-open playoff race.
The Bulls are currently 7th in the standings and are targeting a full 10 points from their final two home games to secure a quarter-final spot or potentially a home playoff. The Bulls (49 points) are just 4 points behind 4th-placed Leinster and 7 points behind the 1st-placed Stormers. A bonus-point win is critical for their climb up the log.
“The team wants to do well, especially considering how close they’ve come in the past, even before many of us arrived. Those expectations are there, but we’re embracing them.”
“The expectations come with the territory. It’s actually a privilege to have those expectations, because if we were near the bottom, there wouldn’t be any. We do feel the pressure, but it’s not something we dwell on.
“I can assure you there will be no complacency. With where we are on the log and how open the play-off race is, there simply can’t be.”
“Everyone understands the importance of the next two weekends. If you’re not doing the right things on the field, you could miss out entirely.”
“If you don’t do the right things, by the time you open your eyes, you could have missed the playoffs completely.”
“It’s about getting your next job right. The next scrum, the next tackle, the next assignment. Those moments add up to a result.”
