Bulls are SA's best playoff performers, but far from invincible: 5 times they lost in knockouts

The Bulls were the slowest South African side to adapt to the rigours of Super Rugby, but when they did, they became the most reliable playoff side.

With them hosting the Sharks in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, their ability to win playoff games is unparalleled.

They're three-time Super Rugby champions and one of those finals, rather dramatically, was won in Durban.

They've demonstrated their finals ability, but that came after the pain of being winless in the 2002 Super 12 campaign and countless other underwhelming seasons.

Here's a roll of failed playoffs where the Bulls expectedly (and once unexpectedly), came off second best:

19 May 1996 - Blues 48-11 Bulls - WATCH

This margin of defeat was as wide as the gulf between these teams suggested. The Graham Henry-coached Blues were way ahead of the rest.

There also was the significant matter of the late Jonah Lomu to contend with and with the late Joost van der Westhuizen being moved to wing based on his bravery against the big winger.

However, the Blues weren't one-trick ponies and displayed this at Eden Park in Auckland.

This was the Bulls' last playoff appearance for exactly nine years as they went through the Super Rugby thresher.

21 May 2005 - Waratahs 23-13 Bulls

After embarrassing losses and the famed 2002 Super 12 campaign where they became the first side not to win a regular-season game, the Bulls were on their first step towards their 2007 success.

They showed signs of life in the 2003 and 2004 campaigns, where they were sixth in both years but truly stepped up in this campaign.

On the back of three consecutive Currie Cup titles, they were the form South African team, but being slow starters, they'd lose their opening game to