2025–26 Bulls (rugby union) season

Bulls
2025–26 season
Head coachJake White
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

The 2025–26 season will be the Bulls' fifth season in the United Rugby Championship, their 31st season of professional rugby. Along with competing in the URC itself and its South African Shield competition, the club will also participate in the 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup.

Squad and personnel

Transfers

Main article: Bulls (rugby union)

United Rugby Championship

Matches

The full list of fixtures for the 2025–26 season were released by the league on 21 March 2025.[9][10][11]

27 September 2025 Bulls v Ospreys Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
13:00
4 October 2025 Bulls v Leinster Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
17:30
11 October 2025 Ulster v Bulls Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast  
19:45
TBC Connacht v Bulls The Sportsground, Galway  
19:45
24 October 2025 Glasgow Warriors v Bulls Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow  
19:45
29 November 2025 Bulls v Lions Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
12:00
20 December 2025 Sharks v Bulls Kings Park Stadium, Durban  
16:00
TBC Bulls v Stormers Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
TBC
3 January 2026 Stormers v Bulls Cape Town Stadium  
16:00
23 January 2026 Edinburgh v Bulls Edinburgh Rugby Stadium  
19:45
31 January 2026 Lions v Bulls Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
12:30
28 February 2026 Bulls v Sharks Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
15:00
20 March 2026 Bulls v Cardiff Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
17:00
28 March 2026 Bulls v Munster Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
12:00
17 April 2026 Dragons v Bulls Rodney Parade, Newport  
19:45
25 April 2026 Scarlets v Bulls Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli  
19:45
9 May 2026 Bulls v Zebre Parma Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
12:45
16 May 2026 Bulls v Benetton Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
15:00

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Benetton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Cardiff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Connacht 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Dragons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
6 Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Glasgow Warriors 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Leinster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Lions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the 2026–27 Challenge Cup
10 Munster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Ospreys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Scarlets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Stormers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Ulster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Zebre Parma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[12]


2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables
South African Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Bulls — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2 Lions — — — — — — — — — — — — —
3 Sharks — — — — — — — — — — — — —
4 Stormers — — — — — — — — — — — — —
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[13]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

European competition

Bulls were drawn in Pool 4 of the 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup alongside URC rivals Scarlets (who they will not meet in the pool stage as per the rules of the competition) along with reigning European champions Union Bordeaux Bègles and Pau from France, and Bristol Bears and last year's Champions Cup runners up Northampton Saints from the English Premiership.

European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 4
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Bordeaux Bègles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2 Bristol Bears 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Bulls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4 Northampton Saints 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Pau 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6 Scarlets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[14]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
European Rugby Champions Cup : Pool matches
v  
v  
v  
v  

Home attendance

Season commences September 2026

Domestic League European Challenge Cup Total
League Fixtures Total Attendance Average Attendance Highest Lowest League Fixtures Total Attendance Average Attendance Highest Lowest Total Attendance Average Attendance
2025–26 United Rugby Championship - - - - - 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup - - - - - - -

References

  1. ^ "Jake brings Bok lock back to Bulls". SA Rugby Mag. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Springboks star Handre Pollard's shock United Rugby Championship move confirmed". Planet Rugby. 1 March 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Cheetahs bid several players farewell". SA Rugby Mag. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Jake White confirms Jan Serfontein's Bulls return as Handré Pollard and Co to mount fresh URC title bid". The Mercury. 15 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Jake White officially confirms two more Springboks signings as Bulls look to close the Leinster gap". Planet Rugby. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Bok locks bolster Bulls". SA Rugby Mag. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Bernard van der Linde: Bulls scrum-half to join Bath next season". BBC Sport. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  8. ^ "Cheetahs snap up Bulls prop". Rugby 365. 22 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  9. ^ "URC 2025/26 Fixtures". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  10. ^ Wright, Jared (21 May 2025). "Full 2025/26 United Rugby Championship fixture list confirmed as Stormers v Leinster kick-off the new season". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Leinster to face Stormers, Bulls in early season action | SuperSport".
  12. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  13. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Pool Tables | Investec Champions Cup". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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