The Vodacom Bulls delivered a massive statement of intent on Saturday, demolishing their neighbours, the Lions, 52-17 in a one-sided Vodacom United Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park.
For the Bulls it wasn’t only revenge for their loss against the Lions at Loftus Versfeld in November, but it was also more confirmation that they have turned the corner after the seven-game losing streak that almost derailed their season earlier.
And the difference from that Loftus game was stark as the Bulls used their forwards to bully the home side and played with such intent that the Joburg team couldn’t get any momentum against a rock-solid defence.
Perhaps it was the influence of the Bok coaching team that has helped the Bulls with small things to get them back on track, or perhaps they just finally turned a corner.
Either way, this Bulls team looked a lot more like the one that went to three finals in four years than the porous defence and static attack that was their forte earlier in the season.
What a game for Harold Vorster 🔥🔥
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) January 31, 2026
YOUR @Vodacom #URC MAN OF THE MATCH #JukskeiDerby pic.twitter.com/LCYd9v6UAj
STATEMENT WIN
This win - like the loss at Loftus - will play much bigger than anything else before and serve as a massive boost for a Bulls side that has now won three games away from home on the trot.
Because this wasn’t just a one-sided win, this was a statement win for Johan Ackermann and his team.
Given the threat that the Lions love to run the ball and would have been relishing the chance to chance their arm against the Bulls, the Pretoria team played pragmatically in the beginning, using their forwards several times to punch forwards from close range.
What they found wasn’t a Lions side that roared back at them, but one that answered with a whimper.
The Bulls were effective and made metres and the Lions backpedalled. It wasn’t a surprise that the Lions were rocked on their heels early and had conceded a bonus point by halftime.
While the Lions made a massive 174 tackles on the day and only missed 20 for a 90 percent tackle success rate, it was more the dominance of the Bulls in the tackle that was a massive difference in the game.
BULLS IMPRESSIVE
While it may not have been the best half of rugby by a Bulls team since Naas Botha’s 1987 Currie Cup final demolition at the same venue, it was certainly impressive.
The Bulls fluffed a fifth try when Stravino Jacobs lost the ball in the corner, and had Harold Vorster seen Devon Williams on his inside it may have been five.
All in all their dominance was total. They gave the Lions nothing, but even so they weren’t as clinical as they could have been given the possession they had.
Their opening try came in the 10th minute, as they pummelled the Lions up front and kept on punching through the middle.
Eventually after all that damage a hole had to open up and Vorster found his way through to score the first of two tries.
But the Bulls were down to 14 men shortly afterwards as Kurt-Lee Arendse lost an aerial battle against Richard Kriel which saw the Lions wing fall awkwardly and gave Arendse his marching orders for 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Chris Smith put over a penalty to put the Lions on the board, but the Bulls continued to punch upfield, and the holes kept opening up, with Johan Grobbelaar worming his way over for the line.
The third try came in a similar fashion, but this time it was a beauty of an offload from Marcell Coetzee to Handre Pollard to finish an outstanding move.
Polly scores a CRACKER! 🏉
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) January 31, 2026
Handre Pollard with try number three for the @vodacom @BlueBullsRugby.@LionsRugbyCo @BlueBullsRugby @Vodacom #URC#LIOvBUL #JukskeiDerby |#EXTRAAYourSummer | #ExtraordinaryLeague pic.twitter.com/1z64jRimh4
KILLER BLOW
The killer blow in the half came less than 60 seconds later, as turnover ball gave the Bulls an opportunity, and Stedman Gans, who alternated between his backline role and moonlighting as an extra forward, found a gap and surged downfield before offloading to Vorster, who popped the ball to Embrose Papier and the latter returned the favour to Arendse, celebrating his return to the field with a try.
Bonus Point secured! âś…
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) January 31, 2026
Kurt-Lee Arendse brings up try number 4 for the @vodacom @BlueBullsRugby just before halftime.@LionsRugbyCo @BlueBullsRugby @Vodacom #URC#LIOvBUL #JukskeiDerby |#EXTRAAYourSummer | #ExtraordinaryLeague pic.twitter.com/6vW5xPLM1T
Halftime sounded and the Bulls were buoyed. A 26-3 lead and total dominance. They could not have asked for better.
The Lions gave themselves some hope early in the second half, as they finally found some momentum for Morne van den Berg to go over after several phases. But it was almost the last bit of fight left in the side.
Because every time they started to get some momentum, they were shut down. The Bulls dominance, Lions errors and a lack of penetration at times all played into the Bulls' hands throughout the second half and they capitalised.
VORSTER BRACE
Those thoughts of a comeback were snuffed out completely as the Bulls reserve front row won a penalty, and in the next scrum the ball was shifted to Jacobs, who found metres down the tramlines, before being stopped close to the line.
With momentum on his side Vorster twisted and turned and planted the ball over the line to complete his brace.
Fast. Faster. Vorster! đź’Ş
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) January 31, 2026
Harold Vorster is EVERYWHERE.
Try number 2 for him.
Try number 5 for the @vodacom @BlueBullsRugby @LionsRugbyCo @BlueBullsRugby @Vodacom #URC#LIOvBUL #JukskeiDerby |#EXTRAAYourSummer | #ExtraordinaryLeague pic.twitter.com/g2iooyMf8e
David Kriel’s appearance on the field led almost immediately to a try, despite colliding with Mornay Smith in the process (something the Lions complained about but were rebuffed) but the offload to Papier was perfect, with the scrumhalf darting through to score.
On target for Papier 🎯@Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA pic.twitter.com/CPQ8As1q6B
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) January 31, 2026
Celimpilo Gumede and Keagan Johannes added their names to the scoresheet as the 50 came up and while Bronson Mills pulled one back at the final whistle, the rout was complete.
The Bulls came hunting and took the spoils. The Lions looked limp and listless, and were far from the side that has hopes for a top eight finish.
Almost as every fixture between these two at Ellis Park has gone since the URC has started.
And it couldn’t come at a more opportune time for Ackermann and the Bulls.
SCORERS
Lions - tries: Morne van den Berg, Bronson Mills. Conversion: Chris Smith (2). Penalty: Smith.
Vodacom Bulls - tries: Harold Vorster (2), Johan Grobbelaar, Handre Pollard, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Embrose Papier, Celimpilo Gumede, Keagan Johannes. Conversions: Pollard (6)