Leinster reach URC final with 37-19 win over Glasgow
Leinster eased into the United Rugby Championship final as hooker Dan Sheehan and fullback Jamie Osborne scored two tries each in a 37-19 semi-final victory over defending champions Glasgow Warriors in Dublin on Saturday.
The Irish side will face either the Pretoria-based Bulls or the Sharks of Durban in the final at the same venue on June 14. The South African sides play in the second semi-final later on Saturday.
Jamie Osborne and Leinster are marching to the #VURC final 🔥
Glasgow have no answers at the moment.
📺 Stream on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/N9BIUXM3VA
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 7, 2025
Leinster led from early on as Sheehan crossed for the first score and they raced into a 25-5 halftime lead against their outmuscled opponents. Replacement fly-half Ciaran Frawley and prop Tom Clarkson also crossed for tries.
The only negative for coach Leo Cullen will have been the form off the tee of number 10 Sam Prendergast, who missed several simple kicks at goal. It did not matter this week but could be a deciding factor in the final.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
5 hours ago
- IOL News
Jake White celebrates Bulls' semi-final victory over Sharks and calls for better scrum rewards
Director of rugby Jake White was a happy man after his Bulls completed a good semi-final victory over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening. Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers 'We made it hard for ourselves, but that victory was very nice.' Bulls' director of rugby, Jake White, was an elated coach after his side triumphed over the Sharks on Saturday evening at Loftus Versfeld to progress to the final of the United Rugby Championship (URC). They will face Leinster at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday where the Bulls will look to seal a first-ever URC title in their third final. The 25-13 win over the Sharks saw them claim a consecutive finals berth. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'I think we won that game in the five minutes before halftime when we had 12 men on the field,' White said after the match. The Bulls received three yellow cards and had to defend with 12 men in the dying moments of the first forty to repel the attacks of the visitors. They managed to do that and took a healthy 15-3 lead into halftime. 'It was a bit of déjà vu because we played them here and got them down to 12 men and we could not open them up. It is obviously a massive win for us as a club, and we are into another final. So, that is three finals in four years, and any club would tell you that is a massive achievement. What has just happened 😱@BlueBullsRugby score their second of the night with Canan Moodie flying into the corner 🚀@Vodacom #URC | #BULvSHA — Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) June 7, 2025 'In that five minutes before halftime with 12 men, it did not look like they were going to score and that is a massive boost to the defence coach and players. I told them in the changeroom that is where we won it. Sometimes you think you win a game with a last-minute kick. 'However, it is not that, it is what you do at certain times (in the game) and we were 12 out of 10 with the way we showed attitude. I say it confidently. I sat there thinking they are not going to score here because we were really fronting up there.' White said there was a different vibe in the changeroom after they kept the Sharks out and he knows it could've been otherwise if they had let their opponents over the line for a try. Dance of the de Klerk 💃⚡ ️ Embrose Papier slices through to set up Sebastian de Klerk and open the show for the @BlueBullsRugby !@Vodacom #URC | #BULvSHA — Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) June 7, 2025 He added that the atmosphere in the stadium added to their game, and he knows they made the Loftus crowd proud with their performance. White praised the efforts of scrumhalf Embrose Papier, who had a direct hand in two of the three tries, but at the same time said it's thanks to the forwards' dominance that the scrumhalf could play his natural game. The Bulls ruled the scrums in the opening exchanges, and their coach feels they could've received more rewards at times. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐓 💥@leinsterrugby and the Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby battle it out to lift the @Vodacom #URC trophy 🏆 Get your tickets and we'll see you at Croke Park next weekend 🫡 Pre-Sale tickets (10% off): Sunday 11am SAST General Sale tickets: Monday 11am SAST — Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) June 7, 2025

IOL News
6 hours ago
- IOL News
Plumtree regrets Sharks' missed opportunities but praises Bulls' defence in their URC semi-final win
Sharks coach John Plumtree rued his team's missed opportunities in Saturday night's 25-13 loss to the Bulls in the URC semi-final but praised the Bulls for keeping his team out. The Bulls are through to the final against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday. 'Overall, we were disappointed with our performance; we had plenty of opportunities to win the game,' Plumtree said. 'With five minutes to go before half-time, we put the Bulls under pressure, they conceded two yellow cards, but we were not good enough to finish them off.' Plumtree said that it should have been closer to 15-15 at half-time. Instead, the Sharks were behind 15-3. 'After half-time, we felt that if we got our game going a bit more, and played a bit flatter on the gain line, we could up the pressure. We did that and scored a few nice tries. 'Later in the game, we were not good enough. Credit to the Bulls — their defence was outstanding, especially in defending their line. They had a massive crowd cheering them on, and that made it a pretty tough nut to crack tonight.' Plumtree said the game lived up to the pre-game hype that it would be a South African clash of giants. 'It was very physical out there. There were a lot of injuries. I hope Cameron (Hanekom) is not too badly hurt,' Plumtree said of an unfortunate sight of the Bulls' No 8 being taken off the field on a golf cart. 'It was great to see so many people here tonight. We get the best URC crowds here in South Africa. 'From my side, I have loved this season with the boys to get to this point, but we are disappointed that we have not kicked on. 'We had plenty of territory and plenty of ball, but we could not convert it into points. We have to congratulate the Bulls. They were pretty good, and we were just a little bit off tonight.'


The South African
7 hours ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs miss out on star Portuguese-based defender?
Kaizer Chiefs may have just let a potential defensive gem slip through their fingers. South African right-back Mhleli Mabuza completed a week-long trial at Naturena, but the club has yet to make a move, raising eyebrows among supporters. The 24-year-old, known for his attacking flair and European pedigree, now looks set to pursue new opportunities after Chiefs' puzzling silence. Mabuza, who spent time training under the watchful eyes of the Chiefs' technical team, saw his assessment coincide with the final two matches of the Betway Premiership season, a period typically focused on squad closure rather than scouting. Despite this timing, hopes remained high that Amakhosi would follow up. But no offer has arrived. 'He has an offer from Portugal which he must act on before the end of June. But there's also interest locally from a number of other clubs,' a source revealed to the publication FARPost . Before returning for the Chiefs trial, Mabuza completed a standout season in Portugal. He played for Louletano DC, where he not only anchored the defence but also contributed a stunning nine assists, earning the title of Best Right-Back in the Campeonato de Portugal. His performances didn't go unnoticed. A newly-promoted Portuguese third-tier club has already tabled a contract offer. Mabuza moved to Europe back in 2018 after impressing in friendly matches. His journey in Portugal wasn't easy, but his development has been clear. 'It was not easy. The style of play, the language, the culture, everything was different,' he admitted. While Kaizer Chiefs remain undecided, other PSL clubs are circling. AmaZulu FC, TS Galaxy, and Sekhukhune United are all reportedly monitoring the situation closely. Mabuza's contract with Louletano has officially expired, making him a free agent and an attractive option for local sides looking to strengthen their defence without transfer fees. However, the European offer comes with a ticking clock, the deal must be finalised before 30 June. The question now is. Will Kaizer Chiefs step up, or will they let another star walk away? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.