Leinster To Host Bulls In Blockbuster URC Final At Croke Park
Leinster To Host Bulls In Blockbuster URC Final At Croke Park
Leinster will face the Bulls in the URC final at Croke Park on June 14 after dominant semifinal wins over the Glasgow Warriors and the Sharks, respectively.
Leinster will host South Africa’s Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final at Croke Park on June 14, after both sides secured impressive semifinal victories Saturday.
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Leinster powered past the defending champions Glasgow Warriors 37-19 at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, while the Bulls held off fellow South Africans, the Sharks, 25-13 in front of 47,000 fans at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Hooker Dan Sheehan and fullback Jamie Osborne each scored two tries to lead the Irish province to their first URC final appearance since 2021.
Leinster raced to a commanding 25-5 halftime lead, with replacement fly-half Ciaran Frawley and prop Tom Clarkson also crossing the line. However, head coach Leo Cullen expressed concern over fly-half Sam Prendergast’s struggles from the tee, as the young No. 10 missed several routine kicks.
“It’s making sure we have a great week now and get excited about putting on another performance,” Cullen said. “They’re not robots. It was a very physical game, and I’m sure the final will be, too.”
Leinster, aiming for a record-extending ninth league title, will play the final at the historic Croke Park for the first time, with the venue selected to accommodate a larger crowd.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are into their third final in four years, though they lost both previous attempts — to the Stormers in 2022 and Glasgow in 2023.
On Saturday, they notched tries from wings Sebastian de Klerk and Canan Moodie, and center Dan Kriel to see off the Sharks.
“I am proud with the way we defended,” said Bulls coach Jake White. “Sometimes, you need those moments under pressure to get into the game. This is our third final in four years, and hopefully we’ve learned from past mistakes.”
The final promises a high-stakes showdown between two physical, fast-paced teams who will both be hungry to add a first URC title to their trophy cabinet.
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