URC Final preview: Leinster face showdown against the Bulls at Croke Park
Leinster will be looking for their first piece of silverware since 2021 when they take on South Africa's Bulls at Croke Park on Saturday.
The Bulls lost to compatriots the Stormers three seasons ago and were stunned by Glasgow Warriors in the decider in Pretoria last season, a game they were heavily tipped to win.
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They return to the final again, this time as underdogs against a Leinster team stocked full with Irish internationals, and two of the world's best players in South African lock RG Snyman and New Zealand centre Jordie Barrett.
Meanwhile, Leinster coach Leo Cullen has kept faith with flyhalf Sam Prendergast despite some jittery performances in recent weeks, and has recalled centre Garry Ringrose and loose-forward Josh van der Flier after they recovered from injury.
They are the only two changes to the starting team, with Snyman on the bench against his former side.
Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan believes his side will have to match the Bulls' brawn and impose themselves on the game.
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"I think everything comes off the back of physicality," he says. "You can have the best game plan in the world and it won't go well if your physicality is not right.
"The Bulls have the best scrum in the league stats-wise. They are very hard to play and I'm sure they will have a plan to disrupt our scrum and try and get over the top of us and we'll do similar and bring energy too."
Bulls coach Jake White took the Springboks to the Rugby World Cup title in 2007, but has found trophy success with the Pretoria-based side hard to come by, with several near misses.
"We are aware that we've played three finals, but we're also aware that we've surpassed expectations, and hopefully, in this game, we get to show what we learnt from the other finals," White told reporters as he named his side on Thursday.
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"We are going to have to put the opposition under pressure. Leinster is a quality, well-coached team that is revered by many in this competition. My message to my players for the last four months was to try and match Leinster's consistency, and we have, and now we're in the final."
White has made one enforced change to his match-day 23 from the semi-final win over the Sharks, with Marco van Staden into the side for the injured Cameron Hanekom. Marcell Coetzee switches from flank to number eight.
The game kicks off at 5pm on Saturday, June 14th with coverage starting on TG4 at 16:15pm.
𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛. 💙
Here is your Leinster team to take on
@BlueBullsRugby
in the
@URCOfficial
Grand Final at Croke Park on Saturday! 🔵🔥
Team news 👉
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— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby)
June 12, 2025
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