Bulls host All Blacks at Loftus in final tour warm-up

The Bulls will host the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday evening. This match serves as the final tour fixture for the New Zealand side before they begin their Test series against the Springboks at Ellis Park on 22 August.

The fixture carries historical weight as it falls near the 50th anniversary of Northern Transvaal's 29-27 win over the All Blacks in 1976. That victory remains the last time a predecessor of the current Bulls side defeated the New Zealanders at this venue. While the Bulls have won only once in four previous encounters with the All Blacks, the home side will look to use the 1,350-metre altitude of Pretoria to their advantage.

Johan Ackermann has selected a competitive squad despite missing several Springboks. Captain Marcell Coetzee leads a team featuring five capped Springboks: Willie le Roux, Curwin Bosch, Embrose Papier, Elrigh Louw, and Johan Grobbelaar. Papier, who scored 12 tries last season in the URC, will partner with flyhalf Bosch, who is making his Bulls debut following a two-year stint in France. The Bulls bench also includes Louw and Grobbelaar, though both have had only one training session since returning from Argentina.

New Zealand coach Dave Rennie has made 19 changes to the side that defeated the Sharks 54-0 on Tuesday. Tour captain Codie Taylor makes his first appearance of the series, while Beauden Barrett moves to the fullback position. The All Blacks' selection includes wings Josh Moorby and Leroy Carter, who are competing for Test spots. The backline also features uncapped flyhalf Josh Jacomb, while Peter Lakai, Anton Segner, and Simon Parker form a new loose forward trio.

Assistant coach Tana Umaga has emphasized the necessity of increasing the pace of play. While the All Blacks have scored at least 34 points in every match during the 2026 tour, the Bulls possess superior set-piece and lineout statistics. The match is expected to be a physical contest, with the altitude likely impacting fitness levels in the second half.