Can the Bulls And Stormers Pull Off the Ultimate URC Away-Day Miracle?
The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers will go all out this weekend in their quest to reach the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) final and, in the process, maintain the proud tradition of at least one of these South African powerhouses featuring in the decider since the competition’s inception in the 2021/22 season.
The task will be anything but easy, however, as both franchises must overcome formidable opponents on foreign soil on Saturday to secure a place in the Grand Final.
The Vodacom Bulls will be first into action when they face the Glasgow Warriors in Edinburgh at 15:30, before the DHL Stormers take on defending champions Leinster in Dublin at 18:30.
With a place in the Grand Final on Saturday, 20 June, at stake, the stakes could hardly be higher.
Both South African teams will be up against the top two sides from the league phase. Glasgow Warriors earned the right to host after finishing top of the standings, while Leinster ended the regular season in second place.
As Glasgow’s usual home venue is unavailable this weekend, the Warriors will host the Bulls at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. The Pretoria outfit arrives in Scotland on the back of a seven-match winning streak in the URC, most recently recording a commanding 45-14 victory over Munster in last weekend’s quarter-final. They will be eager to carry that momentum into what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter.
Should the Bulls emerge victorious, they will secure a third consecutive Grand Final appearance. Memories of their heartbreaking 21-16 defeat to Glasgow in the 2023/24 final are likely to provide additional motivation as Johan Ackermann’s men seek revenge and aim to lift the title for the first time.
The clash presents a fascinating contrast in styles. The Vodacom Bulls finished the league phase as the competition’s most prolific attacking side, while Glasgow boasted the best defensive record.
The South Africans will also be aware that Glasgow remain unbeaten at home in the URC this season, a statistic that will undoubtedly boost the confidence of the defending champions.
Having edged Connacht in last week’s quarter-final, Glasgow will be buoyed by strong home support as they attempt to book another place in the final. However, based on the Bulls’ recent form, they will take some stopping.
The DHL Stormers, meanwhile, face an equally daunting assignment against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium. The Irish giants will be highly motivated after their recent defeat to Bordeaux in the Investec Champions Cup final and will be desperate to keep their hopes of a URC title alive.
The Cape side booked their semi-final spot with a hard-fought 44-21 victory over Cardiff at DHL Stadium last weekend. However, John Dobson and his players are under no illusion about the challenge awaiting them in Dublin.
The Stormers’ recent form has been somewhat inconsistent, with only two wins from their last five matches, and they will need to deliver one of their most complete performances of the season to progress.
Adding to their concerns, the visitors will be without Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who suffered an injury in the quarter-final and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
There are reasons for optimism, though. The DHL Stormers have produced several strong performances away from home this season and can take confidence from their emphatic 35-0 victory over Leinster in Cape Town earlier in the campaign.
Leinster, however, are expected to be a far tougher proposition on home soil, although the psychological impact of that earlier defeat will not be lost on either side.
The statistics also offer some encouragement for Stormers supporters. While Leinster finished the regular season with superior attacking numbers, the Stormers were more effective defensively.
Should the Capetonians prevail and emulate the Bulls’ famous semi-final victory in Dublin during the inaugural URC season, they will secure their first Grand Final appearance since the 2022/23 campaign — a prospect that will serve as powerful motivation.
Earlier this week, Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier was named SA Vodacom URC Player of the Season, while eight players from the South African franchises were selected in the Elite XV for 2025/26.
The URC also announced that SuperSport will remain the exclusive broadcaster of the competition in Sub-Saharan Africa following a multi-year rights extension agreed with the CANAL+ Group.
Meanwhile, Chris Smith, Quan Horn and Evan Roos were also among the winners at the Vodacom URC Awards for the 2025/26 season.
Match Information: Vodacom URC Semi-finals
Glasgow Warriors v Vodacom Bulls
Date: Saturday, 6 June
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
SA Time: 15:30
Referee: Andrew Brace
TV: SuperSport
Leinster v DHL Stormers
Date: Saturday, 6 June
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
SA Time: 18:30
Referee: Hollie Davidson
TV: SuperSport
