Erasmus has handed the Bulls a tactical roadmap ahead of the URC final — and it comes straight from watching the Stormers push Leinster to the brink. His read is straightforward: match Leinster's intensity, dominate the collision, and stay on the field for 80 minutes. The Stormers did the first two; the yellow and red cards undid the third. The Bulls, he argues, have the personnel to execute the same physical blueprint — arguably better — and crucially arrive in Dublin with eight straight wins and genuine momentum behind them. Mzwandile Stick echoed the sentiment, making South African loyalties unambiguous: with up to 16 Bulls players potentially entering the Springbok environment post-final, Bok management has a direct interest in seeing them go all the way.
Rassie's blueprint: How the Bulls can break their Dublin curse
Erasmus points to the Stormers' near-upset as the tactical blueprint for the Bulls: physical dominance, pressure on Leinster's gain line, and the discipline to sustain it for a full 80 minutes — something ill-discipline denied the Cape side in Dublin.
- Rassie Erasmus
- Vodacom Bulls
- DHL Stormers
- United Rugby Championship
- Mzwandile Stick
- Springboks
What Bordeaux's Champions Cup demolition of Leinster means for SA's URC finals hopes
Rich uses Bordeaux's physical demolition of Leinster as a lens on SA's URC finals prospects — arguing the Stormers cost themselves and their SA counterparts dearly by failing to secure second place, while flagging a scrumhalf depth problem that extends beyond the URC and straight into Erasmus's Bok planning.
Moerat, Nortje and Van Heerden: Three Bok locks playing for more than a final spot
Rich profiles three departing Bok locks — Moerat, Van Heerden and Nortje — whose franchise careers end with a semifinal defeat, drawing out their shared history and assessing their Bok trajectories heading into a busy Rugby Championship build-up.
Nienaber the Sacrificial Lamb? Lekker Rugby Pod Makes the Case Against Leinster's Boardroom Politics
The Lekker Rugby Pod argues Nienaber is being made a sacrificial lamb for Leinster's failures, with Leo Cullen — not the defence — identified as the real problem, and a possible early return to South African rugby floated.
Burger: Roos earns his Bok recall — but the soft-skill weakness is real
Burger endorses Roos's Bok recall but flags a genuine soft-skill concern, while De Villiers uses Papier and Horn to argue Erasmus's selection culture consistently rewards sustained URC form.
Rennie's word for his All Blacks reset: 'Brutality'
Martin Devlin reports that Dave Rennie has told New Zealand media his All Blacks reset centres on 'brutality' over flair — and that Rennie privately selected Richie Mwanga for the tour opener despite NZR eligibility rules blocking him, a conflict Devlin says NZ rugby has yet to resolve.