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

Cameron Hanekom from the Bulls and Jauron 'Trocky' Augustus from Ulster are set to participate in the match between the Bulls and Ulster, which will take place in Pretoria on Saturday. Their upcoming battle at number 8 promises to be a highlight of the United Rugby Championship tournament, given the current form of both players.

Both players are actively making their mark in the game, making powerful breaks and successfully handling tackles, which provides a significant boost to their teams. Hanekom has established himself as an outstanding player for the Bulls following his return from injury. Meanwhile, Augustus demonstrated match-winning play, becoming Ulster's best player in the victory over Zebre Parma in the Champions Cup last week.

For Hanekom, this competition represents an interesting challenge rather than a personal rivalry. He stated that he will give his all, emphasizing the lack of a personal history with Augustus, calling him an exceptional player who was unlucky to suffer an earlier injury. Hanekom noted that he considers it a good test and eagerly awaits the development of the match.

Augustus is showing a surge of strength. The former Stormers player was brilliant in Ulster's 40–21 victory over Zebre, making 25 carries—more than any other player over the weekend—and ranking third in meters after contact with a figure of 31, while the Irish province scored six tries.

These performances have once again highlighted the qualities that made the 28-year-old player so influential since his move from South Africa to Northampton Saints in 2021. At Stormers, Augustus did not get a chance in the national team, but his games in England attracted the attention of the Springbok squad. He played a key role in securing Northampton's home title in the 2023–24 season and their progression to the Champions Cup next season.

Afterward, he was included in the Springboks squad for international matches in July 2025, but an injury prevented him from debuting in a test match. His disappointment continued this year when another injury ruled him out before the World Cup, although Rasisi Erasmus confirmed in June that Augustus remains in his plans.

Now, fully fit for play, he has the opportunity to make another spectacular appearance against a player who has achieved similar success in Pretoria. Hanekom has become one of the most impressive performers for the Bulls early in the season. After nearly a year away due to injury, he returned to the Springboks squad during the Great Rivalry series and made a significant impact off the bench.

He has maintained this form in the Bulls campaign, earning Man of the Match honors against the Lions and coming close to this award again last week in the victory over Stade Français. The 24-year-old athlete enjoys his participation in rugby but does not let praise get the better of him. He admitted that there were areas in his game he wanted to improve, but some remained unfinished. He noted that this is a characteristic of the game, allowing for another chance to work on necessary aspects. He added that confidence comes slowly but surely, and he will never be overly self-assured, as there are always opportunities for improvement and a desire to learn.

This mindset will be important against Ulster, which has shown much attacking potential despite a poor start to the URC campaign. They lost their first home match against Edinburgh 34–29, then drew 33–33 away at Glasgow Warriors, and 26–26 at home against Munster.

Hanekom understands that the Bulls cannot underestimate their visitors. He stated that Ulster always performs at a high level and possesses a good team and system. The Bulls will want to continue their successful run of home matches, but Hanekom believes that consistency and adaptability will be decisive as the season progresses. He emphasized that every team presents its own characteristics, and it is necessary to adapt quickly to what happens. At the same time, he reminded that one must remember their capabilities but not rely on everything happening by itself.

As Hanekom strives to maintain the pace of the Bulls, and Augustus wants to build on his European success, Pretoria could witness a thrilling contest between two leading forwards of the tournament.

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.