Bulls aim to extend perfect home record against Scarlets

Having survived a scare against Ulster last weekend, the Bulls will not be tempted to take Scarlets lightly on Saturday. The Bulls, humbled by a scare against Ulster last week, are in the best frame of mind to host underdogs Scarlets on Saturday, with a win potentially taking them to the top of the URC table. The teams meet at Loftus at 5pm with the Bulls sitting pretty in third place on the United Rugby Championship table after three wins from four games. While having the same number of points as fourth-placed Stormers, the Bulls have a better points difference and are just two points behind Glasgow Warriors and three behind leaders Edinburgh. Those Scottish sides play tricky matches at home to the Lions and away to Benetton, respectively. Surviving scares The Bulls come from a challenging 34-26 win over Ulster at Loftus Versfeld. They led 21-0 at one stage before a string of errors, injuries, including to Bok flyhalf Handré Pollard, and questionable referee decisions allowed the Irish side back into the game. Ulster might have stolen a win if the Bulls hadn’t collected themselves and won a handful of penalties near the death to secure the bonus-point win. Scarlets almost secured their own shock result when they fought back from 33-14 down to 40-all in the last few minutes against the Stormers in Cape Town. While the Stormers scored twice near the end to win 52-40 in difficult circumstances where they also suffered several injuries, perennial strugglers Scarlets will take confidence from their six tries away against a top South African team. The performance belies their position on the URC table: 14th after one win and three defeats. Head-to-head, the Bulls have won three of their five clashes, including a 23-21 nail-biter in Wales last season, in April. It was their first win in Llanelli. The Bulls have won both their home fixtures against the Welsh side. Marcell Coetzee available for the Bulls Regular captain Marcell Coetzee will be available to play after he was cleared of foul play during a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday night. It involved his yellow-card incident with Ulster lock Ben Donnell, allegedly breaching Laws 9.20(a) and 9.20(b), which prohibit dangerous play at a ruck or maul, including charging into an opponent without binding and making contact above the shoulders. With the Bulls largely at full strength, they will be composed and not take the visiting Scarlets lightly, whatever history says of the fixture.