Bulls beat Ulster 34-26 in Pretoria as Ulster remain without a URC victory

Ulster were beaten 34-26 by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria in the United Rugby Championship on 24 October 2026, leaving the province without a win in their opening four URC fixtures. Former Ulster star Marcell Coetzee scored twice for the Bulls and Curwin Bosch's last-kick penalty knocked them out of losing bonus-point range.

Ulster's winless start to the United Rugby Championship stretched to four games despite a Challenge Cup victory over Zebre last week. It is the first time they have failed to win any of their first four league fixtures since 2008-09, when they began the then Celtic League with four consecutive losses. Richie Murphy's side now travel for a second game in South Africa against the Stormers on 31 October before the URC pauses for a four-weekend break for November's Nations Championship fixtures.

The Bulls opened the scoring after Ulster conceded a penalty in the opening passage of play, Coetzee finishing off a maul try after two minutes. Ulster were turned over when attempting to respond and the hosts stretched their lead on 19 minutes when a quick-tap five metres out set up an infield maul that Elrigh Louw finished. The scoring summary read: Tries: Coetzee 2, Louw, Grobbelaar; Cons: Pollard 4; Pens: Pollard, Bosch. Ulster: Tries: Mullins 2, McCann, McCloskey; Cons: Murphy 3.

Coetzee added a third try with a close-range pick-and-go eight minutes before the interval, and Ulster finally registered points in the red time of the first half when Chay Mullins went over in the corner for his second try of the season. From 21-0 down, Ulster mounted a comeback that delivered a four-try bonus even as the Bulls maintained control of the scoreboard.

Ulster provided a brighter second-half display: Mike Lowry was stopped short in the left corner before flanker David McCann powered over soon after. Jack Murphy's second conversion of the match reduced the deficit to seven points, and Coetzee was shown a yellow card for a high hit that remained yellow after review by the TMO bunker.

While Coetzee was off, Handre Pollard kicked the only points of his absence with a penalty. After Coetzee's return Keynan Knox created space that sent Mullins over for his second, only for Johan Grobbelaar to score virtually from the restart to restore the Bulls' cushion. Stuart McCloskey set up Ulster's fourth try 10 minutes from time but the visitors could not bridge the gap before Bosch's concluding penalty cost them a further point.

Bulls: Giliomee; De Klerk, Xamlashe, Vorster, Jooste; Pollard, De Wet; Steenekamp, , Klopper; Vermaak, Ludwig; Coetzee, Liebenberg, Louw. Replacements: Van Standen, Tshakweni, Mchunu, Wiese, Hanekom, Burger, Bosch, Maart.

Ulster: Stockdale; Mullins, Benson, McCloskey, Lowry; Murphy, Doak; O'Toole, Stewart (capt), Knox; Donnell, Izuchukwu; McCann, Timoney, Augustus. Replacements: Walker, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Snyman, McNabney, Devine, Flannery, McKillop.

Ulster travel to face the Stormers on 31 October, after which the United Rugby Championship pauses for four weekends for November's Nations Championship fixtures.