OPINION: Bulls up against it, but it isn't mission impossible
The Bulls will try to become the third straight team to win the URC in an away final when they take on Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.
Bulls captain Ruan Nortje and Leinster captain Jack Conan pose with the URC trophy ahead of the final in Dublin on Saturday. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images
The Bulls are massively up against it, and Irish heavyweights Leinster are firm favourites, when the teams meet in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final in Dublin on Saturday. But, the visitors can be comforted by the fact that winning away from Loftus Versfeld isn't an impossible task.
What the URC has shown over the past few years is that winning away from home is an achievable goal, and one that the Bulls could pull off if they are at their best at Croke Park this weekend. The reason is simple: In the previous three seasons of the competition two finals have been won by the away team.
In season one, the Stormers finished second on the log, hosted all their playoffs and went on to win the competition, beating the Bulls 18-13 in the final.
But in season two, Munster finished fifth on the log and went on to triumph, after winning all three playoff games away from home, against Glasgow Warriors, Leinster and the Stormers.
Last season was a similar story with Glasgow, who finished fourth. They won their home quarterfinal against the Stormers, but then won their semifinal away against Munster and also won the final, away against the Bulls, to lift the trophy.
Away champion
The Bulls will now have to try and become the third straight away champion in what should be a blockbuster meeting with Leinster, who have been favourites every season, but have yet to win.
Leinster have a plethora of Irish star internationals, as well as Springbok RG Snyman, All Black Jordie Barrett and French international Rabah Slimani, on their books, so are undoubtedly the favourites on paper.
But despite that firepower, they have wilted in knockout rugby in the URC and Champions Cup over the last four years, and the Bulls will know that, having knocked over Leinster in two previous playoff matches – in Dublin in season one and in Pretoria last season.
The Bulls, however, have also slipped up in knockout games. They lost to the Stormers in the final in season one, and to Glasgow in the final in Pretoria last season, so they, too, have their own demons to overcome.
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