Glasgow Warriors endured more heartbreak as the Bulls recovered from an 18-point deficit to win their United Rugby Championship play-off semi-final at Murrayfield.
Having lost at the quarter-final stage of the Champions Cup to Toulon, Warriors were hoping to preserve their hopes of silverware against their South African visitors, who have finished as URC runners-up two years running.
For the Bulls, who lost to Glasgow in the 2024 final, either Leinster or Stormers stand in the way of a maiden URC title, having joined the competition in 2021. Leinster host Stormers in Dublin in Saturday’s second semi-final.
Handre Pollard gave the Bulls a penalty lead but was then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.
Glasgow, who finished top of the URC standings, got the first try when Kyle Rowe threw right to namesake Steyn for the score and, within moments, a similar move ended with Sione Tuipulotu offloading for Steyn to cross in almost the exact same spot. Dan Lancaster added his second conversion.
The Bulls’ afternoon worsened as a rolling maul resulted in a penalty try for the hosts and Ruan Nortje was yellow carded in the aftermath.
The visitors had to respond and thought they had forced over at a ruck through Marcell Coetzee but the TMO ruled against them. Their first score arrived with their next push at the line, Johan Grobbelaar touching down and Pollard converting, leaving Glasgow with a 21-10 half-time lead.
Warriors’ Scott Cummings was sent to the bin early in the second period for repeated infringements and Embrose Papier took advantage by skipping over at the line for the Bulls’ second try. Pollard’s conversion attempt was wide.
The Bulls were in the ascendancy and Cummings’ yellow card was looking ever more expensive as Cameron Hanekom gained territory and Francois Klopper went in under the posts to set up an easy Pollard conversion. Nineteen unanswered points suddenly had the South African side in the lead.
Pollard was unsuccessful with three penalties in a row, keeping the gap at one point with seven minutes to play.
Scrum after scrum failed to gain Glasgow the momentum they needed in the closing stages and the visitors doggedly saw out the narrowest of victories.
They will contest their fourth URC Grand Final on 20 June.
