Bulls can expect tight battle in URC quarter-final against Edinburgh, recent history suggests
United Rugby Championship
Bulls director of rugby Jake White will likely mix and match his side as they prepare to face Cardiff on Saturday.
Image: AFP
The Bulls should brace themselves for a hard-fought United Rugby Championship (URC) battle against Scottish side Edinburgh on Saturday (1.30pm kick-off), recent clashes between the two sides suggest.
The visitors from the Scottish capital have won three of their past five meetings across the URC and Challenge Cup.
Their most recent clash was an EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final in Scotland that the South African giants lost 34-28. Jake White's team paid for a sluggish first half in that encounter, despite a brave fightback in the second half.
The Pretoria outfit won their last seesaw URC clash 22-16 in September. The Scottish giants, however, got the better of the visiting South Africans with a 31-23 win at Hive Stadium in their previous URC clash.
In fact, the home side has won every one of their past five match-ups. With the Bulls turning Loftus into a fortress, this could well point a comfortable home win for the Pretoria side in front of their passionate fans.
The Bulls will also be riding high after slaying the Dragons 55-15 at home in their last URC match to confirm second place, with the platform once again laid by their dominant pack. However, there is no comparing the Welsh strugglers with the Scottish side.
They booked their place in the quarter-final with an impressive 47-15 over Ulster that left them in seventh place. The close nature of all five clashes could be causing Bulls fans a few sleepless nights. Neither team has been able to win by more than 10 points.
The wounds from last season's URC grand final will also still be fresh in the minds of the Loftus faithful. They were also expected to comfortably see off the Glasgow Warriors at home and lift the URC trophy for the first time.
A stubborn Warriors side refused to follow the script, however, and pulled off a shock 21-16 victory.
The result continued a trend of finals upsets in a competition that no South African team, apart from the Stormers, has won so far.
The Bulls are also unbeaten since their Challenge Cup defeat against Edinburgh, winning all four matches home and away. In-front of a rocking Loftus they will be hoping to gain a measure of revenge for that blot on their copy book, and secure a semi-final ticket.