Vodacom Bulls flank Nama Xaba says he’ll be ready if opportunity calls during the Vodacom URC playoffs.

The 27-year-old made just his third URC appearance of the season last week (and first since October) against Dragons at Loftus, winning the Man of the Match award.

However Xaba, who joined the Bulls from the Stormers in 2024, knows that it is unlikely to be enough for him to leapfrog his loose-forward competitors and feature in next Saturday’s quarter-final against Glasgow or a possible semi-final and final.

“At some point you need to be real with yourself,” he told Sport24.

“Marco [van Staden] is a Springbok, Marcell [Coetzee] has had a very, very good season and Cameron [Hanekom] has been reliable and consistent in the way he has played.

“So, I’m very happy with where I am right now and obviously, I’d like to get an opportunity to play in the playoffs. But if I don’t get that opportunity, it’s something I didn’t expect in any case.

“I’m just keeping myself mentally ready and trying to get my body physically ready because you never know what might happen.”

URC QUARTER-FINALS: Stormers to tackle champs

Having missed out on selection for the Bulls’ four-match tour in April, Xaba admitted he didn’t feel in the best condition going into the Dragons match.

“But when the guys were on tour, we were working hard,” he added. “There was a group of 10 of us who weren’t selected to go on tour and had all those subliminal messages that we need to stay ready because you never know when the opportunity will come.

ALSO: 2025-26 URC to start with a bang

“Looking at last year, a guy like Cornel [Smit] was brought in for the semis and played in the final as well, the same with Sergeal Petersen.

“So, it was sort of a hope for the best but expect the worst scenario.”

FULL STORY

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images