Bulls player ratings vs Munster | 2025/26 URC

Bulls player ratings: It was a cagey first 15 minutes, with the Bulls having the upper hand at scrumtime but neither side managing to stitch together anything that resembled a coherent attack.

In the 28-degree Pretoria heat, water breaks arrived early and often, with both sides making enough handling errors to make the ball feel like a bar of soap. Still, the Bulls’ raw power, superior scrum, and a sprinkling of Embrose Papier magic eventually proved just enough to stave off a late Munster charge, in what eventually turned into a 34-31 try-fest.

Below are the player ratings for the Bulls.

1. Gerhard Steenekamp – 7.5
A dominant presence on the loosehead, absolutely dismantling Alaalatoa from the opening whistle. His early shove set the tone for Bulls scrum dominance, and Munster never really recovered from the pressure he applied. Strong in the carry and disciplined around the park.

2. Johan Grobbelaar – 8
His darts were consistently sharp, with Vermak and Louw giving him reliable targets. Added real bite in the carry, including one violent surge on 28 minutes, and crucially turned over Gleeson when Munster’s No.8 got isolated. A proper all-action hooker’s shift.

Points Flow Chart

Bulls win +3

Time in lead

47

Mins in lead

11

59%

% Of Game In Lead

14%

38%

Possession Last 10 min

62%

3

Points Last 10 min

5

3. Francois Klopper – 7
Impressive in the early scrums where he heaped more misery on Munster’s front row. Quiet enough around the park but nailed his primary job and contributed to a set-piece platform that the Bulls leaned on heavily.

4. Ruan Vermaak – 7
A solid lineout presence and a nuisance in the tight. His accidental head collision on Barron earned him a card, but outside of that he added heft and some handy defensive moments.

5. Ruan Nortje – 7
Led the tackle count but did miss a few. Still, his engine and work-rate remain elite, and he grafted hard in energy-sapping conditions.

6. Marcell Coetzee – 5.5
A little off-colour. Fell off more tackles than he’ll want to remember and lacked his usual influence at the breakdown. Not his best day at the office.

7. Elrigh Louw – 7
Showed up with a handful of powerful carries, though you always feel he has another gear in him. His offload helped spring Papier for his 46th-minute try. Penalised for offside late in the first half but otherwise steady.

8. Nizaam Carr – 6.5
Mixed bag. Showed decent control at the base but one awful stuffed pass early on won’t make his highlights reel. A smidge quiet thereafter and replaced on 56 minutes.

9. Embrose Papier – 8.5
World-class. Scored two tries; the first a dazzling solo run leaving multiple Munster defenders grasping at shadows; the second a pure poacher’s finish off a clever kick ahead. His box kicking was pinpoint early on. The Bulls’ most dangerous operator.

10. Handre Pollard – 8
Mature, composed, and tactically razor-sharp. Kicked beautifully out of hand, punished Munster repeatedly with his territorial nous, and nailed his shots at goal. Even won a turnover on 6 minutes to underline his all-round influence.

11. Kurt-Lee Arendse – 6
Starved of possession in the first 20 minutes, and by the time he got ball-in-hand, Munster had numbers on him. Too quiet overall by his standards.

12. Harold Vorster – 7.5
A physically dominant presence in the midfield, punching holes and straightening beautifully. Played a key role in Jooste’s try with a clean, decisive intervention. Munster felt his carrying all day.

13. Stedman Gans – 8
Outstanding. Brutal run and offload for Moodie’s try, sharp footwork, and a constant threat whenever he touched the ball. Munster struggled to contain him in full flow.

14. Canan Moodie – 6.5
A ropey opening quarter where his handling deserted him, but he worked his way into the contest and finished his try well. Still some shaky moments under the high ball but improved steadily.

15. Willie le Roux – 7.5
Vintage Willie. Calm, cool, and punishing with his kicking; especially in the first half where he repeatedly turned Munster and dictated momentum. Defensively clever, controlled the backfield expertly.

REPLACEMENTS – 6.5
A mixed-bag collective. Wessels added serious size, Jooste delivered a worldie of a try with frightening pace, Van Staden brought industry, and Burger steered the ship adequately late on. Not all had major involvements, but the injection of power helped the Bulls through a tense final quarter.