The Vodacom Bulls will take on the Glasgow Warriors in Edinburgh at 15:30 (SA Time) in the first United Rugby Championship semi-final.
As the Warriors’ normal home ground in Glasgow is not available this weekend, the Vodacom Bulls will arrive at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on the back of a seven-match winning run in the Vodacom URC, their most recent being a commanding 45-14 demolition of Munster in last weekend's quarter-final, and they will be desperate to maintain that momentum against a Glasgow side that has been in equally impressive form throughout the campaign.
Should the Pretoria side emerge victorious, they will secure their third successive Grand Final berth, and there is no doubt that memories of their heartbreaking 21-16 against the Warriors in the 2023/2024 Final will be fresh in the minds of Johan Ackermann's charges as they set out to make amends and go one better this time around by lifting the title for the first time.
The match sets up as a fascinating battle between two teams with contrasting strengths. The Vodacom Bulls finished the pool stages as the competition's most potent attacking force, while Glasgow earned the bragging rights as the best defensive outfit.
The South Africans will be mindful of the fact that Glasgow have been a formidable force at home in the Vodacom URC this season, remaining unbeaten on their home patch, a run that will give them confidence heading into the match.
Adding to this, Glasgow, who edged past Connacht in last week's quarter-final, will be galvanised by their home support as they attempt to reach the final, but if the Bulls' recent form is anything to go by, they will take some stopping.
Glasgow are appearing in their third successive VURC semifinal, underlining their consistency at the sharp end of the competition. They have historically been strong at home in knockout fixtures, with only two semifinal defeats on Scottish soil.
However, the Vodacom Bulls will draw confidence from their recent win at Scotstoun in 2025, the most recent VURC home defeat suffered by the Warriors. Despite that result, the broader record offers a warning. The Vodacom Bulls have visited Scotland eight times and won just twice, highlighting the difficulty of touring in these conditions.
Head-to-head, Glasgow also hold a narrow 4-3 advantage, adding another layer to what has become a finely balanced rivalry. If history is against them in Scotland, it is firmly in their favour at this stage of the competition.
The Vodacom Bulls have reached three VURC semifinals and have never been beaten, including landmark victories over Leinster (2022 and 2024) and the Sharks last season. That record will fuel belief within the squad that they can rise to the occasion once again.
Saturday’s clash represents a meeting of form and pedigree: Glasgow, the top-seeded side with strong home credentials, against a Vodacom Bulls outfit that has consistently delivered when it matters most in knockout rugby.
At Murrayfield, in front of a partisan Scottish crowd, the margins are expected to be razor-thin. The Vodacom Bulls’ challenge will be to impose their physicality, control territory through Pollard’s boot, and convert pressure into points while containing a Glasgow side that has made a habit of thriving in these high-stakes encounters.
With 11 Springboks in the starting XV and a further five on the bench, the Vodacom Bulls have opted for experience, physicality and composure as they look to maintain their perfect record at this stage of the competition.
The occasion is significant on an individual level as well as a collective one.
The team selection reinforces the Vodacom Bulls’ traditional strengths: forward dominance, tactical control and attacking flair out wide.
The loose trio of Coetzee, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom provides a blend of breakdown authority, ball-carrying dynamism and defensive work rate.
The lock pairing of Ruan Vermaak and Ruan Nortje ensures lineout security and physical presence.
At halfback, Embrose Papier and Handré Pollard will control tempo and territory, with Pollard’s experience and game management central to navigating what is expected to be a high-pressure contest.
Out wide, the Vodacom Bulls boast genuine strike power with Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Willie le Roux offers tactical intelligence and distribution from the back.
The bench maintains that intensity, with the likes of Marco van Staden, Wilco Louw and Nizaam Carr providing impact and versatility in what is likely to be a match decided in the closing stages.
Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith has made just one change to his starting XV. Gregor Hiddleston comes into the lineup at hooker in the sole alteration to the team that earned a 33-21 win over Connacht last weekend.
There are three alterations to the replacements, including a return to action for Jamie Dobie, who is set for his first appearance in Glasgow colours since January after recovering from an injury sustained in Scotland’s Calcutta Cup victory over England.
Seb Stephen and Adam Hastings are also both set for their first outing of the 2025/26 playoffs, both men coming into the matchday 23 after missing out on the win over Connacht.
Rory Sutherland and Sam Talakai join Stephen as the front-row cover available to Smith and his coaching team, whilst Jare Oguntibeju continues in the number 19 jersey after his try-scoring cameo off the bench last week.
Euan Ferrie and Sione Vailanu complete the matchday 23, covering the loose forwards for the clash with the Bulls tomorrow afternoon.
Teams
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (c), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Alex Samuel, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Patrick Schickerling. Replacements: 16 Seb Stephen, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Jare Oguntibeju, 20 Euan Ferrie, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Adam Hastings
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Nizaam Carr.