Can Leinster take that final step and end their trophy wait?
JAKE WHITE DIDN'T HANG around in pointing out that the Bulls are underdogs for this Saturday.
The South Africans arrived in Ireland yesterday, happily embracing the fact that Leinster are favourites.
'We have to travel to play an international team,' is how White put it before they left Pretoria.
'It's going to be tough. It's going to be like Ireland versus the Bulls.'
For effect, the experienced head coach told the South African media that the Bulls needed a higher power on their side.
'Prayer… prayer is what we need,' he said.
'I don't say this lightly. We need prayer.'
White clearly hadn't thought all of this through as he said the Bulls had earned 'a lotto ticket' by reaching the final, but that they had a '50% chance of winning' in Croke Park. We'd love to get in on that kind of lottery.
Privately, he will be reminding his Bulls players of their fine record against Leinster. They beat the Irish province in the URC semi-finals in 2022 and 2024, the first of those in Dublin.
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They've also won against Leinster in two regular-season games in Pretoria, albeit those took place without most of the Ireland internationals that White was alluding to in his preview of Saturday's final.
Still, the Bulls haven't been a good match-up for Leinster since joining the URC. Their power in contact, varied kicking, destructive scrummaging, pace out wide, and sprinkling of creativity from the likes of Willie le Roux mean they're a formidable outfit. As with any good South African team, their pursuit of success will begin with a focus on the set-piece.
Like Leinster, the Bulls have yet to win the URC. Unlike Leinster, they've already been in two finals. White's men lost to the Stormers in Cape Town in 2022, then at home to Glasgow in last season's decider.
They're certainly not an unbeatable force, but they will take some beating. It seems unlikely that the Bulls will be overpowered in the same manner that Glasgow were last weekend. Leinster deserve credit for dominating their Scottish semi-final opposition, but the South Africans are unlikely to be as meek.
Ross Byrne and Garry Ringrose after last season's semi-final in Pretoria. Steve Haag Sports / Christiaan Kotze/INPHO Steve Haag Sports / Christiaan Kotze/INPHO / Christiaan Kotze/INPHO
Leinster are viewed as 10-point favourites by some bookies. They have been fancied in finals before, of course. They have plenty of doubters at the moment. Many commentators feared that Glasgow would do a job on them last weekend.
The vicious physical edge to Leinster's performance and the increased accuracy probably settled many of their supporters' nerves but the job is not complete. Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber's side will surely need to deliver something even better this weekend.
The doubts and worries around Leinster stem from their recent history. They have ultimately come up short under intense pressure since winning their most recent trophy in an empty RDS in 2021.
'I think you do acknowledge all of them and what is the honest truth and facts about them,' said attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal of how Leinster have addressed their past.
'The Bulls, we haven't played well against them in the last five outings. Finals, we haven't performed in the finals to the grand final level in the past. We've acknowledged it, but we've also got a fresh opportunity which we have been talking about.
'We're excited for the opportunity. We understand what we are playing for. Then there is just trust that we're all aligned and the players are going to go and perform well.'
So now the question is whether Leinster will perform to a grand final level. There were encouraging signs last weekend and the likelihood is that if the home team play close to their potential, they will be too good for the Bulls.
Nienaber will want the best defensive performance of the season, Robin McBryde will hope to see Leinster's set-piece excel, Seán O'Brien will demand violence at the breakdown, and Bleyendaal is keen for the attack to fire again.
Yet Bleyendaal highlighted that finals can often be 'scrappy.' The real key to getting over the line seems to be whether Leinster handle the big moments well.
That wasn't the case in their recent Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Northampton, when it appeared that the pressure left them inaccurate and led to some overthinking.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
The weight of the world sometimes seems to be on Leinster when they play big games like this one, so it wasn't surprising to hear Cullen talking about how important it is that they enjoy their work this week.
Bleyendaal always comes across as a relaxed figure in the set-up. There don't tend to be many smiles when the broadcasters show us the Leinster coaching box, but the Kiwi coach often seems to be enjoying games as they unfold.
'I feel like I'm pretty level throughout the week, throughout the match and the messages I give,' said Bleyendaal.
'I think it's probably a good, balanced coaching group in that regard.'
Leinster need a nice balance of calm heads and a vicious edge this weekend. A blend of red heads and blue heads.
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