Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has called for clarity from match officials after his side secured a 34-26 victory over Ulster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, 24 October 2026.

Despite claiming the win, the Pretoria-based side struggled to maintain its commanding first-half advantage, allowing the Irish visitors to fight their way back into contention. The performance left Ackermann questioning several refereeing decisions while acknowledging that his team needed to improve its discipline and execution.

Ackermann raised concerns about the consistency of Scottish referee Ru Campbell, particularly regarding decisions at the scrums and breakdowns. Speaking after the match, the Bulls coach said the team needed further explanations about incidents that he believed had influenced possession, territory and scoring opportunities.

“There’s a lot of clarity we need from the referee’s side,” Ackermann told reporters.

According to Rugby365, one of the incidents that frustrated the coach involved Elrigh Louw being penalised at the breakdown after Cheswill Jooste had been tackled.

Ackermann believed Jooste had released the ball before getting back up to continue playing, but the referee penalised Louw during the ensuing contest.

“Technically, that was perfect; Cheswill released the ball, got up and went again, but Elrigh got penalised,” he said.

Ackermann confirmed that the Bulls' technical analyst, John-William Meyer, had documented several incidents the team wanted clarified.

However, the coach's concerns about the officiating did not overshadow his admission that the Bulls had contributed to their own difficulties during the match.

The Bulls appeared to be in control after building a 21-7 lead at half-time, thanks to tries from captain Marcell Coetzee, who scored twice, and Louw.

Their advantage, however, came under threat after the break as Ulster returned with renewed determination. The visitors scored three second-half tries, putting the hosts under pressure and raising questions about their ability to close out the contest comfortably.

Johan Grobbelaar's try helped the Bulls restore some breathing room, but Ulster continued fighting, with Stuart McCloskey crossing the line to reduce the deficit.

Curwin Bosch eventually settled the contest with a late penalty, ensuring the Bulls secured a hard-fought eight-point victory.

While the result earned the Pretoria side five log points, Ackermann admitted that his players could have managed the game far better, particularly after establishing such a substantial lead.

“At 21-0, we probably have to be much better,” he said, highlighting inaccurate execution and poor discipline as areas requiring attention.

The coach also pointed to the team's recurring struggles at the beginning of second halves, suggesting that the Bulls needed to improve their concentration and consistency if they hoped to avoid similar situations in upcoming fixtures.

Although the victory keeps the Bulls' URC campaign moving forward, Ackermann's post-match comments highlighted the importance of addressing both refereeing concerns and the team's own shortcomings.

The Bulls will need to find greater consistency across the full 80 minutes, particularly when defending substantial leads against determined opposition.

Bulls Coach Johan Ackermann Demands Referee Clarity After Unconvincing Win Over Ulster - Briefly.co.za