Edinburgh v Bulls: What we can expect from the Challenge Cup quarter-final game

The Bulls have mentioned a few times this week they will stick to their tried and tested strengths when they take on Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup quarter-final at Hive Stadium in Scotland on Saturday (kick-off 1.30pm).

However, their backline – while not too familiar with playing on an artificial pitch – are up for the challenge.

The Bulls and Edinburgh have played each other four times – all in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Each side has won twice and won those games at home.

The match is expected to be a close contest, as Jake White’s charges – who have been dominant in forward pack battles against all opposition recently – take on their free-running opponents led by a familiar foe.

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt previously worked as an assistant coach under White when the latter took the reins at the Sharks in 2013. He also accepted a consultancy role offered by White at the Bulls in 2022.

The Bulls come from a good 32–22 win over Bayonne in France in the round of 16 last weekend to progress, while Edinburgh crushed the Lions 24–12 to host a second playoff.

Edinburgh’s pitch is key

The artificial pitch in Edinburgh supports fast-paced rugby and Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen acknowledged the threat posed by international backline players such as South African-born wing Duhan van der Merwe, Australian centre Mosese Tuipulotu, South African centre Wes Goosen, and Argentinian fullback Emiliano Boffelli, among others.

They also boast a host of Scottish internationals in the backline, including the dangerous wing Darcy Graham, who scored five tries at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

To counter this, Goosen along with Captain Marcell Coetzee and utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels spoke up the strength of the Bulls forward pack this season.

“We’ve got quite big forwards, a big pack, so they will try move us around,” Goosen said. “They have dangerous backs outside so we should just try to keep the ball away from them, then we will be fine.”

The other two Bulls players spoke of how the forwards are enjoying their rugby, particularly on tour.

However, Coetzee said they do have to keep a balance between enjoyment and professionalism even while they are oozing confidence.

Bulls backline up for playing on artificial pitch

The Bulls’ own winger, Stravino Jacobs, said he had never played on an artificial pitch outside of training.

it’s been a bit fast and makes you a bit sore, particularly for me with my ankles and I get a lot of shin splints. But I’ll see how I feel on the pitch this weekend,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot of flair in our backline, especially with Devon [Williams] at fullback and Goose [Goosen] coming off the bench as an impact player.

“I think everyone’s on the same page and we understand each other. If we can get forward momentum, we can score some tries.”