Johan Grobbelaar is set to reach 150 Bulls appearances in Saturday's URC semifinal against Glasgow at Murrayfield — but the milestone is firmly secondary to the result. The piece profiles a player who has been central to the Bulls setup for years without ever chasing the spotlight: a deadshot lineout operator, a rolling maul anchor, and the kind of hooker whose value shows up in team performance rather than personal stats. Grobbelaar has been on the wrong side of three URC final defeats and watched Glasgow claim the title at Loftus in 2024, but he's deliberately framing Saturday as a new opportunity rather than a revenge mission. He's confident the Bulls are peaking at the right time — 10 wins from their last 11 URC outings — and sees the move to Murrayfield's grass surface as a genuine edge after a season of artificial pitches. The Bulls' scrum, which Grobbelaar anchors, is identified as their primary weapon, and he believes the reputation they've built at set-piece time is ready to be cashed in.
150 caps, one goal: Grobbelaar wants a Murrayfield final
Grobbelaar reaches 150 Bulls caps in the URC semifinal against Glasgow — the piece looks at what he brings, how he's processed the pain of previous finals, and why the Bulls scrum could be the difference at Murrayfield.
- Johan Grobbelaar
- Vodacom Bulls
- United Rugby Championship
- Murrayfield Stadium
- Loftus Versfeld
Hanekom and Grobbelaar lead Bulls' destruction of Munster in URC quarter-final
Planet Rugby's quarter-final ratings highlight Cameron Hanekom as the standout performer in the Bulls' 45-14 win over Munster, with the piece arguing his one Test cap is a clear anomaly. Grobbelaar, Papier, and a dominant front row also rated highly, though bench impact in attack is flagged as a concern for the Glasgow semi-final.
Bulls land seven signings including Bosch and Abrahams ahead of 2026/27 season
The Bulls have signed seven players for next season, including Springbok fly-half Curwin Bosch from CA Brive on a three-year deal and Thaakir Abrahams from Munster on two years, with Luan Giliomee, Hakeem Kunene, Dylan Maart, Sango Xamlashe and Mawande Mdanda also coming aboard as the club undertakes a major squad overhaul.
Bulls dismantle Munster 45-14: Bok depth the difference, Hanekom emerges as Kwagga cover
The Bulls' 45-14 URC quarter-final win over Munster is dissected across five takeaways — Bok depth as the decisive factor, Hanekom's emergence as Kwagga cover, and a frank assessment of Munster's structural decline and McMillan's precarious position.
Coetzee backs Pollard and Le Roux to be Bulls' difference-makers against Munster
Coetzee identifies Pollard and Le Roux as the Bulls' play-off X-factors against Munster, arguing that World Cup-hardened composure — not past final appearances — is what will matter at Loftus on Saturday.
Coetzee: Bulls' URC struggle was actually the perfect knockout prep
Coetzee makes the case that the Bulls' rocky URC campaign was unintentional preparation for the pressure of knockout rugby — with Munster coming to Loftus on Saturday.