“Always The Bridesmaid?” — Why Ackermann Believes His Bulls Are Finally Ready To Crush Their URC Final Curse

Since the inception of the United Rugby Championship (URC), no team has featured in more finals than the Vodacom Bulls. Yet despite reaching the showpiece event on three previous occasions, the Pretoria outfit is still searching for an elusive first title.

The adage “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” has become an unwanted tag for the Bulls in this competition. However, under Johan Ackermann, they have another opportunity to rewrite the narrative when they face Leinster in Friday’s URC final at Croke Park.

For Ackermann, who has guided the side to the final in his debut season at the helm, the occasion represents the culmination of a remarkable campaign.

“When you reflect on the season and see where we were and where we are now, it’s a great privilege,” said Ackermann, who replaced former Springbok coach Jake White during the off-season.

“It’s surreal. It could be a great ending to a great journey.

“At least we have given ourselves the opportunity to play in a final, but we are under no illusion about how tough it will be.”

The Bulls head into the decider with momentum firmly on their side following impressive knockout victories over Munster and the 2024 champions, Glasgow Warriors.

Their dramatic come-from-behind victory over Glasgow in Edinburgh a fortnight ago showcased both their resilience and growing belief.

Ackermann believes those performances have boosted confidence, but insists previous results will count for little when the two sides take the field on Friday evening.

“We can take a lot of confidence and momentum from the wins over Munster and Glasgow, but finals are decided on the day,” he said.

“From experience, we know that certain things have to fall into place.

“We are confident and believe in ourselves, but we’ll need to be more accurate than ever and match Leinster’s intensity.”

While the significance of the occasion is not lost on him, Ackermann is determined not to allow emotions to overshadow the task at hand.

Asked about his message to the team before the final, the Bulls coach revealed that he prefers to keep things simple.

“I try not to think too much about game day and prefer to keep the nerves calm, but we’ll see where we are when the day arrives,” he explained.

“You get a feeling during the warm-up about whether you even need to say anything. Ultimately, what you’ve done throughout the season is what got you here. If we can execute those things well and improve in certain areas, that will be the main focus.”

The scars of previous final defeats remain fresh. The Bulls lost to the Stormers in the inaugural URC final before suffering a shock home defeat to Glasgow Warriors in 2024.

Last season, they were denied once again by Leinster at the same venue where Friday’s showdown will take place.

However, rather than viewing those disappointments as baggage, the Bulls will hope those experiences serve as motivation as they chase the one prize that has so far eluded them.

For Ackermann and his players, Friday presents an opportunity to turn years of heartbreak into history and finally bring the URC trophy back to Pretoria.