In the early to mid-1990s the Buffalo Bills lost four Super Bowls in a row. After the first two defeats there was some sympathy from neutral observers.
After the third, the Bills became a laughing stock, and when they made the Super Bowl for the fourth consecutive time, most of America was actively anti-Bills because they represented the thing Americans loathe – losers.
In the saga of losing the big game repeatedly, what was overlooked was what it took to get there. Only two teams make it to the Super Bowl every year. Making the big game is an achievement, but success is defined in silverware.
Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier will be a key player in the final. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images / Getty Images) The Bulls are on their own similar run to the Bills when it comes to the United Rugby Championship (URC) – three finals, three defeats.
On Friday night, the Bulls play in their fourth URC final in five years with that unwanted record hanging over them. All the previous success leading to the final, and the finals before this one, will mean nothing if they don’t come home with the trophy.
Heads rolled
After the third URC final loss in 2025, against this year’s opponents Leinster, the navel gazing became toxic. Coach Jake White was ousted in an internal putsch, with senior players giving the board the ultimatum that either the coach be removed or they would walk.
The board backed the players and White was sent packing. It was acrimonious and unusually ruthless in a South African rugby context.
Johan Ackermann was called in to replace White and create a more harmonious dressing room, with the same mandate though – “win trophies”.
They promptly lost seven games in a row and Ackermann was under pressure. But there were green shoots of promise, and with the appointment of assistant coach Neil de Bruin, son of Bok women’s coach Swys, performances and results improved.
Ackermann succeeded in creating a better team culture, and with De Bruin and fellow assistant coach Kennedy Tsimba started creating a winning mentality.
Many factors came together, which included the return of their vast legion of Springboks, and with it results improved.
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images) “I knew that taking into account the history of this place and how passionate the supporters are, if we didn’t get to the final there would be a lot of questions asked, especially if we didn’t get to the play-offs,” Ackermann said last week.
“I knew that pressure was on, but the most important thing was to start building a culture and a philosophy of how I see rugby. I have the obligation to lead and get the atmosphere where the players can still be valued and enjoy what they do. That was my motivation because I believe rugby is great and we are all very passionate about it. But there is a bigger picture outside of that.
“The real spark was credit to Neil (de Bruin), who came in and brought new energy and excitement. The players also kept believing in the plans we wanted to implement. The culture started to form, our values started to get more practical.”
Momentum
The Bulls have won 11 of their last 12 URC games, including the last eight in a row and go into the final with momentum.
They beat Glasgow 22-21 with a courageous comeback from 21-3 down at Murrayfield, to secure their place in the final.
They have a Springbok-laden team, full of experience and flair. They have a collective goal, and some personal missions to fulfil.
Their pack is formidable and, with plenty of X-factor in the backline, they are almost unstoppable off front-foot ball.
Bulls wing Kurt-Lee Arendse. (Photo: Johan Rynners) The Stormers, who lost the semi-final 20-11 against Leinster, which included a red and yellow card, showed the way.
The Stormers were ruthless in defence and kicked for territorial gain, rather than trying to bash their way through Leinster’s Jacques Nienaber-inspired defence.
They were in the game until a moment of madness from flank Ruan Ackermann resulted in a red card with less than 20 minutes to play.
“We are really proud of what the Stormers did. I thought they pitched up with a competitive mindset for 80 minutes,” Bok coach Rassie Erasmus said this week in reference to the URC semi-final.
“Some things didn’t go their way, and some were their own doing. But they were physical and never gave up. You could see when the guys went out after half-time, there was real desperation to win the game.
“Leinster is going to be tough, we all know that. But I think if the Bulls want to look at the blueprint of how to beat them, without getting a red card here or yellow card there, they can look at what the Stormers did. They came really close.”
Leinster coach Leo Cullen expects the Bulls’ old heads such as fullback Willie le Roux and flyhalf Handré Pollard to dictate matters.
Can the Bulls break down Jacques Nienaber’s Leinster defence? (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images) “It’ll be interesting to observe how the Bulls go a…
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