{"id":52565,"date":"2026-03-13T11:14:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T11:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/?p=52565"},"modified":"2026-03-13T11:14:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T11:14:35","slug":"bulls-vs-stormers-preview-two-teams-heading-in-opposite-directions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/2026\/03\/13\/bulls-vs-stormers-preview-two-teams-heading-in-opposite-directions\/","title":{"rendered":"Teams heading in opposite directions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Bulls welcome an out-of-sorts Stormers side to Loftus on Saturday in one of South African rugby\u2019s most fiercely contested derbies.<\/p>\n<p>Saturday\u2019s United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus Versfeld pits two South African heavyweights moving in very different directions.<\/p>\n<p>The Bulls arrive on the back of four consecutive victories, three of which have come in the URC. That run has lifted Johan Ackermann\u2019s side into the top eight on the log after a difficult start to the season.<\/p>\n<p>The Stormers, meanwhile, have tumbled from the top of the table after three straight defeats. They have dropped four places on the log since\u00a0their flawless 8-0 start and arrive in Pretoria desperate to stop the slide.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-the-match-will-hinge-on\"><strong>WHAT THE MATCH WILL HINGE ON<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Bulls are clearly on an upward trajectory under Ackermann in recent weeks. Their power game has returned, their collective shape has improved, and they are playing with a conviction that was missing earlier in the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Stormers, by contrast, have lost their way. Gremlins have crept into their system, with the Cape side becoming increasingly reckless and undisciplined at the crucial moments. Their 24-10 defeat to the Lions was a particular low point, exposing defensive frailties that will need addressing before Saturday\u2019s outing at Loftus.<\/p>\n<p>The north-south derby rarely allows elaborate attacking plans to flourish, and this time will be no different. Set-piece dominance, territorial control, and discipline will likely decide the outcome far more than expansive backline play.<\/p>\n<p>The Bulls have been particularly imposing up front since Ackermann recalled his experienced front-row heavyweights. Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, and Wilco Louw all return to the starting pack, giving the Bulls a powerful and physical platform to build from. Jeandr\u00e9 Rudolph\u2019s promotion to number eight adds further carrying ability to an already dangerous loose trio.<\/p>\n<p>The Stormers, meanwhile, have struggled with the very basics that made them so formidable in the early stages of the campaign. Their discipline on the defensive end has regressed significantly, and they have been chasing sensationalism when simplicity would have served them far better.<\/p>\n<p>If John Dobson\u2019s side cannot rediscover their winning recipe quickly, they\u2019ll be in for a long afternoon\u2019s work against the Bulls\u2019 forward pack in the thin Pretoria air, with altitude will also play its part, particularly in the final quarter when lungs and legs begin to tire.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-flyhalf-battle-could-prove-decisive\"><strong>THE FLYHALF BATTLE COULD PROVE DECISIVE<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>One of the most compelling individual contests on Saturday will play out at flyhalf. Handr\u00e9 Pollard lines up for the Bulls against Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who has come under growing scrutiny in recent weeks over his decision-making and game-management.<\/p>\n<p>Pollard brings vast experience, composure under pressure, and a reliable boot to the contest. He has been a steadying influence for the Bulls throughout their recent winning run and will look to control territory and field position from the outset.<\/p>\n<p>Feinberg-Mngomezulu, meanwhile, carries the weight of expectation as South Africa\u2019s most exciting young playmaker and a leading contender to wear the Springbok number 10 jersey not only this season, but also at next year\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>His recent form for the Stormers has raised questions, with many, including Springbok assistant coach Tony Brown, suggesting he has been trying to do too much on his own rather than using the players around him.<\/p>\n<p>Saturday\u2019s high-pressure encounter at Loftus presents a significant opportunity for the 24-year-old to respond to those critics.<\/p>\n<p>Pollard\u2019s experience against Feinberg-Mngomezulu\u2019s raw talent and attacking instinct makes for one of the most fascinating individual match-ups of the URC season so far.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n#Teams #heading #directions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bulls welcome an out-of-sorts Stormers side to Loftus on Saturday in one of South African rugby\u2019s most fiercely contested&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mzansi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52565"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52567,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52565\/revisions\/52567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}