BizNews Rugby: A fitting farewell - Bulls honour Hendricks as URC playoffs take shape
On an emotional weekend for South African rugby, the Bulls honoured the late Cornal Hendricks with a powerful tribute at Loftus before storming to victory over the Dragons. As the URC playoff race concluded, fans were also treated to shock results in Europe and the Pacific Four Series.
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By Rory Steyn
On a weekend that South African Rugby remembered one of our own, one of our finest:
The Vodacom Bulls paid an emotional tribute to former Springbok and Bulls winger Cornal Hendricks during their United Rugby Championship match against the Dragons at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Hendricks, who passed away on May 14 at the age of 37 due to a heart attack, was honored in several poignant ways:
Moment of Silence and Applause: Before kickoff, a moment of silence was observed. In the 14th minute of the match—signifying the jersey number Hendricks wore—a minute’s applause resonated throughout the stadium.
Flags at Half-Mast: Bulls flags around the stadium were flown at half-mast as a sign of respect.
Fan Tributes: Supporters were invited to lay flowers, letters, and other tokens of remembrance at the iconic bull statue at Loftus Versfeld. This memorial will remain open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Friday, May 23.
The Bulls channeled their emotions into a commanding performance, securing a 55–15 victory over the Dragons.
Hendricks’ journey was marked by resilience. After being diagnosed with a serious heart condition in 2016, he made a remarkable return to professional rugby in 2019 with the Bulls, contributing significantly over six seasons and earning two Currie Cup titles.
Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone reflected on Hendricks’ legacy, stating, “He was a special player who defied all odds and became our inspiration for everyone.”
He’ll always be remembered for the try he scored against the All Blacks in Wellington, on the occasion of Jean de Villiers’s 100th Test, running a beautiful live on a cut-in, to dive over next to the sticks.
RIP Cornal Hendricks, we remember you.
For a visual tribute, you can watch the Bulls’ homage to Cornal Hendricks at Loftus Versfeld below:
Written on board Emirates Flight 232, and it’s not all URC!
International Rugby
Wallaroos defeat USA Eagles in Pacific Four series: Australia’s women’s team secured a 30–19 victory over the USA in Canberra. Charlotte Caslick starred in the win, while Ilona Maher was effectively neutralized by Australia’s defence. This marks a crucial boost for the Wallaroos ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Canada and New Zealand draw in Pacific Four thriller: In Christchurch, the Black Ferns and Canada played to a 27–27 draw. Canada led late into the match, but New Zealand equalized in stoppage time. Both teams earned three points in the standings. How’s that for a weekend surprise!??
Gallagher Premiership Rugby Highlights
Bath crush Leicester in Premiership clash: Bath Rugby delivered a commanding performance with a seven-try victory over Leicester Tigers, securing their place at the top of the Premiership table and solidifying their status as title contenders.
Northampton Saints edge Saracens in dramatic finish: Northampton Saints staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Saracens 28-24, jeopardising Saracens’ playoff hopes. Replacement prop Tarek Haffar’s two late tries, including a controversial match-winner, sealed the Saints’ victory.
Top 14 Highlights - Shock for Stade Toulousain at Home!
Bordeaux Bègles 34–29 Castres
Bordeaux Bègles secured a crucial home victory, keeping their playoff aspirations alive.Bayonne 38–32 RC Vannes
Bayonne edged out Vannes in a high-scoring encounter, showcasing their attacking prowess.
Clermont Auvergne 31–13 Perpignan
Clermont delivered a dominant performance against Perpignan, strengthening their position in the standings.Pau 25–21 Toulon
Pau managed a narrow win over Toulon, highlighting their resilience in tight matches.Stade Français 31–30 Lyon
In a thrilling contest, Stade Français clinched a one-point victory over Lyon, underlining the competitiveness of the league.Toulouse 35–37 Racing 92
Racing 92 pulled off a significant upset by defeating Toulouse on their home turf, a result that could have implications for the playoff race.
South African Rugby
Pumas and Griquas Set for SA Cup Final: The Airlink Pumas will host the 2025 SA Cup final next weekend in Nelspruit against Suzuki Griquas following their dramatic 31-29 win over the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers.
The Vodacom URC Play-Off teams are now confirmed with eight teams from across Ireland, South Africa, Scotland,and Wales all locked in for the Quarter-Finals on May 30 and 31.
As the ‘Race to the Eight’ finished in dramatic fashion this weekend, the four home Quarter-Finalists - Leinster, Bulls, Sharks, and Glasgow Warriors all learned who they face in a bid to reach the semi-finals.
The results from Round 18 ensured that the four home teams were ranked as:
Leinster (1),
Bulls (2),
Hollywoodbets Sharks (3),and
Glasgow Warriors (4).
This sets up an intriguing quarter-final slate in two weeks’ time, which includes three cross-hemisphere battles.
Play-Off Format
Quarter-Finals - Friday, May 30
QF4: (4) Glasgow Warriors v (5) DHL Stormers
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
KO: 19:35 UK / 20:35 SA
Live on SuperSport,
Saturday, May 31
QF2: (2) Vodacom Bulls v (7) Edinburgh
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
KO: 12:30 UK / 13:30 SA
Live on SuperSport
QF1: (1) Leinster v (8) Scarlets
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
KO: 15:00 UK / 16:00 SA
Live on SuperSport
QF3: (3) Hollywoodbets Sharks v (6) Munster
Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
KO: 17:30 UK / 18:30 SA
Live on SuperSport
The URC semi-finals will be played on Saturday, June 7; but first we’ll have the Investec Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup Finals in Cardiff on Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th of May, respectively.
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4
SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF3
Vodacom URC Grand Final – Saturday, June 14
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
While the four home quarter-finalists are best placed to reach the decider, history may yet deliver a twist — no team ranked No.1 on the URC Table has ever lifted the URC Trophy. In past seasons, it was fourth-placed Glasgow (2024), fifth-placed Munster (2023), and second-placed DHL Stormers (2022) who emerged as champions.