Bulls well placed in URC playoff race but stress no room for complacency

The Bulls, currently seventh in the standings, host bottom-placed Zebre at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, before rounding off the regular season away to Benetton, with just two rounds remaining.

Although they trail both the Lions and the Stormers in the playoff standings, the Bulls have two highly winnable home games ahead, while their South African rivals conclude their campaigns in Europe. 

That favourable schedule means they could still end up as the highest-ranked South African side, despite seemingly playing catch-up all season.

However, Bulls coach De Bruin has stressed that his team is under no illusions about what is at stake, warning that any slip-up now could prove extremely costly.

"There's definitely no sense of complacency in the group," De Bruin said on Tuesday.

"With how tight and unpredictable the playoff race is at the moment, everyone knows how important these final matches are.

"If you take your eye off things or don't get the small details right, you can suddenly find yourself outside the playoffs before you realise it.

"For us it's about focusing on the next task - the next scrum, the next tackle, the next role you need to fulfil. If you consistently get those moments right, the result will usually follow."

De Bruin, who joined the Bulls towards the end of 2025, inherited a side capable of scoring freely but one that was also conceding too easily.

He explained that finding the right balance between attack and defence has required a collective effort from the entire team rather than focusing on one aspect alone.

"It really comes down to everyone contributing," he said.

"When your defence functions well, like ours has over the past few weeks, you create transition opportunities and stop opponents from building momentum, and that naturally benefits your attack too.

"It doesn't matter whether you prefer to play with more possession or kick more often - the two aspects work hand in hand. You can't lean too heavily in one direction.

"A big part of it is understanding when to hold onto the ball and when to play with width or tempo. Those decisions in key moments will be crucial."

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