By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Vodacom Bulls.
The Vodacom Bulls secured a narrow 23-21 victory over the Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in a United Rugby Championship (URC) round 16 match.
The victory ensured the Bulls leave Wales with a healthy nine points after two matches there, with the Pretoria-based side now well placed to make a run for a home quarter-final in the final two rounds.
The Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard scored 18 points in a crucial win that moved the Bulls up to seventh on the Vodacom URC log, ahead of Ulster, with two rounds remaining.
The first half was a fast and furious affair as both teams ran hard on attack and applied pressure on the opposition, and it showed on the scoreboard as both teams crossed the whitewash twice, with the Bulls taking a slender 14-10 lead thanks to their two successful conversions.
Cheswill Jooste got the action off to a stunning start, compliments of a well-timed dart through the defence minutes into the match, but the Scarlets sent a long pass out wide to score and added another try at the end of the first quarter from a set play from a lineout, which pushed them 10-7 ahead.
The men from Pretoria hit back with their second try by Pollard from a fantastic break and support play with 12 minutes left in the half, and with neither team able to add to their score before the break, the Bulls managed to cling onto a 14-10 lead.
Unfortunately for the South Africans, they were reduced to 14 men early in the second half as Stedman Gans received a yellow card, and things became even more challenging as Francois Klopper received his marching orders minutes later, which saw the visitors go down to 13 players.
The Scarlets took full advantage of this to score their third try in the third quarter, and the drama continued to unfold as the teams exchanged two penalty goals apiece, which saw the Welshman edge one point ahead with six minutes left to play.
The Bulls had a golden opportunity to score their third try with less than five minutes left to play, but were denied by a forward pass, but a crucial penalty goal by Pollard at the death sealed a nail-biting 23-21 victory.
Scarlets –Tries: Callum Woolley, Eddie James, Fletcher Anderson. Penalty: Joe Hawkins.
Bulls – Tries: Cheswill Jooste, Handré Pollard. Conversion: Handré Pollard (2). Penalties: Pollard (3).
Meanwhile the Lions boosted their hopes of making the United Rugby Championship’s end-of-season play-offs and simultaneously dealt a blow to Connacht ambitions with a bonus-point 33-21 victory over the Irish province at Ellis Park on Saturday.