Vodacom Bulls vs 10bet Lions

Here we go, Loftus!

After a solid start by all of our teams, it’s time to bring it home.

Local is lekker.

Loftus is lekker.

And the Jukskei Derby is as lekker as it gets.

What a pleasure to go into Round 3 of this year’s competition with every single South African team already in the Top Eight. But today is where it really matters. Our derbies are the heartbeat of this competition, and our teams love nothing more than to throw the kitchen sink at each other. We’ve seen some epic clashes between the Vodacom Bulls and 10bet Lions over the years. In fact, in the last five Vodacom United Rugby Championship meetings between these two teams here at Loftus, the Vodacom Bulls have won three and the 10bet Lions have snuck in with two victories. The last two have been the most interesting though, with the 10bet Lions beating the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus in 2025, and then Johan Ackermann’s men returning the favour by hammering their opponents at 10bet Ellis Park earlier this year.

The 10bet Lions are looking like a proper challenge this year with a 100% win record so far, while the Vodacom Bulls slipped up against Munster in Round 2. But between these two teams, it can go any way on any given derby day. 10bet Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has said, “This one is the most personal for us”. Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann says this fixture is “As close to Test rugby as you can get”. Welcome home rugby fans. And home is where the derbies are.

Sitho Mdlalose

CEO of Vodacom South Africa

The Vodacom Bulls return to Loftus Versfeld this weekend with serious fire in their belly and dynamic reinforcement in their ranks.
Following a tight 26–22 defeat against Munster at Thomond Park, the Pretoria side has stacked the deck for a massive Vodacom United Rugby Championship Jukskei derby, executing sweeping changes across the match-day 23 that feature no fewer than 10 Springboks to reset their campaign momentum.

While the Vodacom Bulls’ only win in their last four first-team matches came in their 47–13 Round 1 victory over Zebre Parma, they return to a home fortress where they have claimed five consecutive VURC victories since March.

Front and centre of this weekend’s push is back-rower Hanro Liebenberg, who steps into a key leadership role as he captains the team for the first time, while lock Cobus Wiese adds further occasion to the day as he stands in line to earn his milestone 50th Vodacom Bulls cap from the bench.

They face a formidable challenge in a 10bet Lions side arriving in Pretoria brimming with early-season confidence. The visitors have opened their URC campaign two-from-two for only the second time in tournament history, matching their fast start from 2024/25, after securing a second successive bonus-point win, 35-19 over Ospreys.

Although the Vodacom Bulls have taken four of the last five VURC meetings between the sides, including a commanding 52-17 victory in Johannesburg in January, the Lions proved their threat on Pretoria soil with a high-scoring 43-33 triumph at Loftus last season.
With local bragging rights and crucial championship points on the line, the stage is set for an explosive derby as the Vodacom Bulls look to leverage their big-game experience and maintain their unblemished home run.