Ellis Park will once again rumble like a restless scrum on Saturday afternoon as the Lions and Bulls lock horns in a Jukskei Derbythat promises sparks, sweat and shifting momentum on the URC log.
TheLions, settled and confident, return home looking to turn continuity into currency. Their memories of last November’s 43–33 win over the Bulls still echo, but head coach Ivan van Rooyen knows this weekend’s contest will be a far sterner examination.
“Obviously, they’ll be hurting from the result at Loftus,” Van Rooyen said.
“But they’ve got some superstars returning in Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, and Marcell Coetzee, and mentally they’ll be a very different team after the two results they got overseas. We’ll have to rise to that emotional level and physical level.”
For Van Rooyen, the derby won’t be decided on reputation but on precision when lungs burn and legs feel heavy.
“Of course, we’ve got plans, they’ve got plans – but I think the team that can execute under pressure on Saturday, and enforce their strengths more often during the 80 minutes will emerge successful.”
The Lions’ unchanged 23 is a statement of trust. Chris Smith, facing his former employers, will be the conductor of tempo at flyhalf, while skipper Francke Horn leads a familiar loose trio into what is expected to be a collision-heavy battle for breakdown supremacy.
Out wide, Springbok fullback Quan Horn provides composure at the back, with Richard Kriel and Angelo Davids offering strike power on the wings.
Across the tunnel, Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has reloaded his side with intent. The return of Elrigh Louw at openside flank sharpens the Bulls’ breakdown blade, while Devon Williams replaces veteran Willie le Roux at fullback, injecting pace and aerial contestability for what is expected to be a tactical kicking duel.
YOUR team to face the Lions tomorrow at Ellis park 🥶
🏆Vodacom Bulls vs Lions | ⏰KICK-OFF: 14:30 | 📍Ellis Park | 🗓️31 January
In midfield, Harold Vorster and Stedman Gans form a more direct, defence-first pairing, signalling a Bulls side built for impact rather than finesse. Kurt-Lee Arendse’s return on the wing adds lightning to the Bulls’ backline, while Handré Pollard resumes his role as the general steering the attacking ship.
The Bulls’ engine room has also been reshuffled, with Reinhardt Ludwig starting at lock and Cobus Wiese primed off the bench to bring brute force in the closing exchanges.
With both sides chasing log momentum, this derby shapes as less chess match and more street fight — a high-tempo contest where accuracy will be the sharpest weapon and composure the ultimate decider.
Teams
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Bronson Mills, 11 Richard Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (capt), 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze Replacements: Morne Brandon, RF Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Etienne Oosthuizen, Darrien Landsberg, Renzo du Plessis, Haashim Pead, Erich Cronje
For Bulls and Lions supporters, this is not just another round of the Vodacom URC , it’s a weekend that could shape seasons, shift momentum and settle old scores. And hovering over it all is the coastal showdown in Durban, where the Stormers walk into the Shark Tank knowing that what happens there will ripple all the way up to the Highveld.
This is the URC at its sharpest: derbies that feel like knockout blows, log positions tightening like a defensive line, and belief becoming just as valuable as points.
Bulls vs Lions: Highveld pride at stake
Ellis Park will crackle long before kick-off. When Bulls and Lions meet, form becomes fragile and history heavy. The Lions still carry the memory of their 43-33 ambush at Loftus in November – a result that silenced Pretoria and reminded everyone that derby days obey no log table.
For the Lions, this match is about turning admiration into advancement. Back-to-back draws away to Perpignan (20-20) and the Ospreys (24-24) showed resilience and character, but also left a familiar ache: close, but not enough. Sitting seventh on theURC log with 24 points, they are still in the playoff conversation – but the gap to the leaders is starting to stretch like a missed tackle.
A home derby is the perfect place to change that narrative.
The Bulls, meanwhile, arrive with something they have not had for weeks: momentum. After seven straight losses across competitions, Johan Ackermann’s men have rediscovered belief with successive wins over Pau and Edinburgh. Like a pack that has finally found cohesion at scrum time, the Bulls are standing taller, tackling harder and trusting their systems again.
They have climbed to ninth on the log and are now within striking distance of their Gauteng rivals. Their Springboks are once again playing like world champions, and with Neil de Bruin added to the coaching mix, structure and clarity are beginning to show.
For Bulls supporters, Ellis Park is a chance to prove that this revival is real – not just a flicker, but a flame.
Stormers vs Sharks: a derby that matters to everyone
While Highveld eyes are fixed on Johannesburg, the Stormers’ trip to Durban matters deeply to Bulls and Lions supporters alike. The Sharks’ emphatic 30-19 win in Cape Town did more than end an unbeaten run – it reshaped the South African Shield picture and tightened the race for playoff places.
John Dobson did not sugar-coat the defeat, calling it “our worst performance of the season”. And he was right. The Stormers, previously No 1 in the URC for lineouts, mauls and scrums, were dismantled at the set-piece. Their usually fluent game dissolved into a fog of misfires and penalties as the Sharks imposed themselves with authority.
Now comes the harder test: responding in the Shark Tank, where confidence grows teeth and momentum feeds on noise.
For the Sharks, JP Pietersen’s impact has been immediate and tangible. Four wins from six since taking interim charge, and that Cape Town performance was the clearest sign yet of a team rediscovering its bite. From 14th to 11th on the log, they now sit just two points outside the top eight – very much alive.
It was not a lucky win either. It was comprehensive, controlled and settled long before the final whistle. The Stormers did not simply play badly; they were never allowed to breathe.
For Bulls and Lions fans, the Durban result could be pivotal. A Sharks surge complicates the playoff race. A Stormers response could reassert Cape Town dominance. Either way, the ripple effect will be felt far beyond the coast.
The log tells the story
The Stormers have slipped to second, three points behind Glasgow Warriors, though with a game in hand on the Scots and other overseas sides. They remain contenders – but now under pressure.
The Lions hold seventh, competitive but restless. The Bulls are climbing, confidence swelling. The Sharks are charging from behind.
This is the stage of the URC where seasons tilt.
Why this weekend matters
For Lions supporters, this is about finally landing a knockout blow in a tight fight. For Bulls supporters, it is about proving the revival has substance. For everyone, the Stormers vs Sharks derby is a measuring stick – of resilience, belief and championship credentials.
The URC is no longer a marathon. It is a series of collisions. And this weekend, every one of them counts.
