Scarlets pose a serious threat to the Bulls, and Bosch gets a chance to replace Pollard

Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann made eight changes to his team's starting lineup as he prepares to host Welsh side Scarlets in their final home match of the 2026 United Rugby Championship season on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld stadium.

Regular captain Marcel Coetzee will be able to take the field from the bench after the disciplinary charge brought against him earlier this week was dropped. Coetzee previously received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Ben Donnelly of Ulster during last week's match at Loftus in the 45th minute, but he will participate in this weekend's game following the hearing on the disciplinary matter.

Overall, Ackermann made 13 substitutions in a squad of 23 players after the victory over Ulster with a score of 34–26 last week, including players with extensive Test experience; eight players from the Springboks were selected for the squad.

Bulls squad for the match against Scarlets

Veteran Springbok Willie le Roux returned to the defensive line, taking up the fullback position, while Dylan Mart moved to the right wing, and Stravino Jacob took the left position. In the midfield, Stedman Gans lined up next to Harold Forster, and Kurwin Bosch took the starting flyhalf spot, forming a new midfield combination with Paul de Wet.

In attack, Ackermann chose a completely new front row, combining props Alu Tsakweni and Huth Mchunu with Springbok hooker Jan-Hendrik Vessels. Young lock J.F. van Heerden joined Ruan Vermaak in the second row, and Jeanandre Rudolf and Cameron Hanekom completed the reworked loose forward trio alongside captain Hanro Liebenberg.

The Bulls squad for the match against Scarlets was as follows: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Dylan Mart, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Forster, 11 Stravino Jacob, 10 Kurwin Bosch, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Hanro Liebenberg (captain), 6 Jeanandre Rudolf, 5 J.F. van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Huth Mchunu, 2 Jan-Hendrik Vessels, 1 Alu Tsakweni. Reserves included: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenkamp, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Kobus Wiese, 20 Marcel Coetzee, 21 Zack Burger, 22 Sebastian de Clercq, 23 Hakim Kunene.

The Stormers team plans to utilize a new halfback pairing consisting of Sachi Feinberg-Mngomezulu and scrumhalf Haasim Pead to initiate attacks against the Scarlets on Saturday afternoon in Cape Town. Pead, who recently transferred from the Lions, will debut in the Stormers jersey, showcasing a potential future halfback duo for the team in the United Rugby Championship (URC) match at the DHL stadium at 16:00.

These two are among the most promising players in the squad, and they will face significant pressure due to the absence of key stars in the defensive line, such as captain Rohan Nel and fullback Damian Willemse.

The Scarlets, who are among the leading kicking teams in the URC, will present a serious challenge for Pead and Feinberg-Mngomezulu. If they can ensure that the Stormers play in the correct areas of the field, especially in situations involving ball retention, it will open up opportunities for the defensive line to attack.

Stormers rugby director John Dobson noted that the Scarlets' kicking game is an integral part of their style, rooted in the traditions of the Llanelli club. He emphasized that the team's playing style dates back to the era of Llanelli, including the times of Phil Bennett and Barry Jones, and they have always been proud of playing what is known as 'total rugby'.

Dobson added that it is interesting that the Scarlets lead the URC in kick meters and possession during kicks. He noted that the team is very strong in kicking, using it to create counter-attacking opportunities. Therefore, the Stormers team needs to be very accurate and clear in their kicking cycles. He compared this to their own team's situation a couple of years ago when they used kicks to create chaos and space for themselves.

He also commented on the recent form of the Scarlets: 'Look, they started promisingly. The win against Benetton, with all their Italian internationals, was a good result, and then they thrashed Newcastle the following week. So, perhaps these are not the Scarlets we are used to seeing towards the end of the season. They have high hopes.'

Thus, much will depend on Pead and Feinberg-Mngomezulu's ability to make sound decisions to position their forwards appropriately on the field. This, in turn, will allow the Stormers to exert pressure through their scrums, lineouts, and rolling mauls. Simultaneously, the duo will aim to reactivate their dangerous defensive line, building on last week's seven-try victory over the Bristol Bears, and convert territorial dominance into attacking chances against motivated Scarlets.

Despite a convincing victory over Stade Français, where the Bulls demonstrated the power of their attack, coach Johan Ackermann believes the team made several shortcomings that need to be corrected before returning to the URC competitions against Ulster this weekend.

The Bulls started the match very actively, scoring the first try just 30 seconds in, and adding two more before halftime. In the second half, they increased their lead by scoring five additional tries, securing a confident win at Loftus Versfeld stadium.

Nevertheless, even with such an impressive scoreline, Ackermann felt that his team unnecessarily complicated things for themselves, especially in the first half.

He stated: 'Obviously, I am proud of the lads. Winning the match is the most important thing; we did it, and the bonus point reward is also in the bag.' He continued that the game was tense despite the score, as the team allowed itself difficulties by missing penalties in the first half, making errors, and not capitalizing on opportunities properly.

Ackermann noted that the performance improved in the second half. 'We still missed a few chances, but Stade Français showed a lot of character, and the conditions there were tough.' The match took place at a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius, which complicated matters for both teams.

The coach admitted to feeling frustrated on the sidelines: 'We were quite disappointed in the coaching area because it was great that we started well, but then we got into a situation where we simply made it easier for them.' He explained that they either missed penalties or lost the ball in less than two plays, allowing the opponent to gain possession and slow the pace, or conceded easy entry into the Bulls' half.

Ackermann analyzed statistics around the 35th minute, noting that the opponents had 62 percent possession but only made 22 tackles, while the Bulls were leading on the scoreboard, although it didn't feel like it. He emphasized: 'This is definitely work for us. If teams come here, to Loftus, we must make them work a little harder.'

Following this victory over the Lions, Ackermann made significant changes to the squad, giving debuts to young players Luan Gilimee and Sango Ksamlashe, both of whom impressed the coach.

Regarding Sango, Ackermann said: 'Sango justified his selection; he played well. I was very pleased with his game, especially in defense.' As for Luan, he noted: 'Luan played well for the Sharks, integrated well, did his job, and we saw that he was comfortable with these systems.' The coach added that he spoke with him in the locker room about a goal opportunity he missed at the end of the match, believing he should have scored it himself.

Ackermann also highly praised the contribution of the forwards, especially the front row, who were given more time on the field despite recent limited playing time. 'But we are happy with our squad; we kept even the front row out for a long time because they hadn't played rugby in a long time.'

The Bulls will now focus on the URC, where Ulster will visit Loftus Versfeld on Saturday at 13:45.