URC | Bulls 34-26 Ulster match report

Bulls 34 – 26 Ulster Rugby

United Rugby Championship | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 24 October 2026
Referee: Ruairidh Campbell | TMO: Sam Grove-White

Match report

The Bulls started fast and then had to survive a strong Ulster comeback to win at Loftus Versfeld.

First half (Bulls 21–7). The Bulls scored inside two minutes. Their pack drove a rolling maul over for captain Marcell Coetzee, and Handré Pollard converted. Elrigh Louw added a second maul try in the 17th minute, and Coetzee scored again in the 31st. Pollard converted all three, making it 21–0. The Bulls had 61% of the possession and used it well. Ulster’s only first-half response came right at the break, when Chay Mullins finished a passing move and Jack Murphy converted.

Second half (Ulster 19–13). Ulster came out with more purpose, helped by Coetzee’s yellow card in the 43rd minute. David McCann scored from close range a minute later, and Murphy converted to make it 21–14. Pollard kicked a penalty in the 49th minute to steady the Bulls. Ulster then took charge of the ball, with 64% of the second-half possession and 59% of the territory. Mullins scored his second try in the 62nd minute after a break by Stuart McCloskey.

Johan Grobbelaar’s close-range try in the 65th minute, set up by Zak Burger and converted by Pollard, put the Bulls ahead 31–19. Ulster still pushed, and McCloskey scored from close range in the 69th minute. Murphy’s conversion made it 31–26, and the Bulls were hanging on. Replacement Curwin Bosch missed a penalty in the 73rd minute. He kicked another on the final play to make it 34–26 and end the game.

Best players of the match

Marcell Coetzee (Bulls) was the standout. The captain scored two tries, the first inside two minutes, and made a game-high 20 tackles at 83%. He did this despite a yellow card in the 43rd minute.

Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls) was the Bulls’ main attacking threat. He ran for 121 metres, the most of any player, with 3 clean breaks and 11 gain-line carries.

Handré Pollard (Bulls) controlled the game with the boot. He kicked 4 conversions and a penalty for 11 points and ran the game for 70 minutes. He also made good use of the kicking game, finding touch regularly.

Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) was Ulster’s best player. He scored a try, set up Mullins for another, and ran for 67 metres with 2 clean breaks and 11 gain-line carries.

Chay Mullins (Ulster) scored two tries, one on either side of the break, and carried well for 39 metres.

Reinhardt Ludwig (Bulls) was the best defender, making 18 tackles at 95% without missing a single one.