URC — Sunday 26 April 2026

It was Handré Pollard's clinical 79th-minute penalty goal that sealed the Vodacom Bulls' narrow 23-21 victory over the Scarlets in Llanelli. While the Bulls were desperate for points to bolster their play-off hopes, it was the flyhalf’s consistent kicking, earning him 18 points in total, that proved pivotal. The match was a brutal back-and-forth affair, highlighted by the early strike from Cheswill Jooste off a slick team move. However, the Scarlets found their rhythm through centre Eddie James, who scored to give the hosts a 10-7 lead within the first half.

The Bulls' dominance was evident at the scrum, where they found little reward from the referee. The dynamic shifted drastically in the second half when the Bulls were reduced to 14 men after centre Stedman Gans picked up a yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Bulls continued their pressure, culminating in a try scored off a move initiated by scrumhalf Embrose Papier, which Pollard converted. The opposition’s host tries, including one from Fletcher Anderson, failed to quell the pressure of the visitors, confirming the Bulls' leap into seventh place on the URC log.