How to watch URC Grand Final: TV channel and live stream for Leinster vs Bulls today
Leinster go into the match as clear favourites as they look to banish the disappointment of their shock home defeat by Premiership finalists Northampton Saints in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup last month, but they did see their 12-match undefeated streak ended by the Bulls in Pretoria back in March after a dramatic late penalty from David Kriel.
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Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Togetherness key to success, says Bath coach Van Graan
LONDON, June 14 - Bath coach Johann van Graan praised the togetherness of his club after they beat Leicester 23-21 to win the Premiership title for the first time since 1996 on Saturday, three years after finishing bottom of the league. The South African oversaw the turnaround that took Bath to the final last year, before finishing the regular season 11 points clear this year and holding off a late fightback from old rivals Leicester to secure a memorable triumph in the final. "It's for every player, every staff member, everyone involved in the club, and especially the supporters," Van Graan said. "We spoke about connection and what I saw before the game when we got off that bus was one of the best experiences I've had in the game." The victory completed a superb treble this season after Bath earlier bagged the Premiership Cup and European Challenge Cup. "Winning the Challenge Cup was brilliant but at the start of the year the goal was to win the Premiership," said flyhalf Finn Russell. "It's special. This group, the city, the club deserves it. The work we've put in over the last few years and then what we do on the pitch is try to represent the city as best we can. "After last year's defeat, we bounced back really quickly and we managed to get the job done." Russell looked certain to score an interception try in the second half but then threw a pass to supporting Max Ojomoh, drawing gasps from the astonished Twickenham crowd. "He's a kid from Bath that grew up watching his dad (England and Bath flanker Steve) lifting this trophy, Russell said. "Giving him a little bit of limelight in the final was nice." Veteran scrumhalf Ben Spencer, a title winner with Saracens, said: "What we've done this year, to win three trophies like we have, is unbelievable. "When Johann came in, he completely turned this place around. We've got a really good group around him in terms of coaches, in terms of staff and we've gone from there and I think we've gone from strength to strength. "I'm not sure there's enough time to say what he brings. He has an unbelievable ability to stay calm at all times. At halftime he's great and we've had a really good ability to start from zero. "His ability to deal with people - 60-odd players who want to play every week - is amazing. The togetherness and strength of this group is just that - the group." Leicester coach Michael Cheika was proud of his team's effort but, not for the first time, was unhappy with the officials, who heavily penalised his team and sent two players to the sin bin. "The calls through the game went against us, the scrum calls were incredible, honestly, and some of the foul play ones. Dominating like that and getting nothing," said the Australian as his one-season stint came to a frustrating end. "Of course I'm slightly biased, but it was frustrating and when you come out of a final having scored more tries than the opposition it says something. "But I love this group of guys, and love the club and I'm so proud of the players for the way they came in there and stayed in it right to the end. We gave ourselves a chance to win it right at the end, but unfortunately it didn't go our way."
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Leinster 'silenced a few critics' with URC win
Leinster captain Jack Conan said that winning the United Rugby Championship helped his side to "silence a few critics".Leo Cullen's team won the competition for the first time since 2021 and the ninth time overall after a comfortable 32-7 victory against the Bulls at Croke Conan was pleased with the final win after Leinster's recent shortcomings in European deciders."Definitely feeling a bit of relief, just so delighted for everyone who has put in so much work the last few years," he told TG4."I'm glad we showed up and performed and were able to silence a few critics."Conan, who will now link up with the British and Irish Lions for their summer tour, revelled in winning the title at the GAA headquarters and in front of a crowd as Leinster's last URC triumph four years ago was behind closed doors due to Covid."It's incredibly special and not something you dream of growing up or even in the last few years it's been a while since we played here," he added in the post-match press led 19-0 at half-time and Conan believes the strong defensive effort to shutout the Bulls after racing into the lead helped his side over the line in the second half."To hold them out at half-time, credit to the lads for putting their heads in where you wouldn't put a shovel, the mental lift that gave us was huge," he continued."Before the game we spoke about taking it moment by moment and not getting ahead of ourselves. We knew it was going to be unbelievably physical and there was no point focusing on the bigger picture, but we dealt really with how direct they were."I'm delighted for the lads that they have performed."
Rhyl Journal
4 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Bath's Ben Spencer says ‘the sky's the limit' after they wrap up historic treble
Leicester came up just short of a fairytale farewell for scrum-half Ben Youngs and prop Dan Cole, who have both called time on their careers after this season and were introduced after the break. Bath held on after a late Tigers surge narrowed the deficit to two points – despite going down to 14 men after Cole was controversially sent to the sin bin – through a late Emeka Ilione try to raise the Twickenham tension. TREBLE COMPLETE 🏆🏆🏆@BathRugby are #GallagherPrem champions 🎆#GallagherPremFinal — Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) June 14, 2025 'Just relief, pride,' said Spencer, when asked to sum up his feelings. 'This has taken a lot of hard work from a lot of people. Relief not just for me, but for the players, the staff, and the fans. The fans are a massive part of why I joined the club. 'I think the future of this club is unbelievably bright, no matter who pulls on the shirt. I can't speak highly enough of the guys coming through. Their work ethic is second to none, and as long as we keep our feet on the floor and wanting to get better, the sky's the limit for this team.' Bath's tries came from Thomas du Toit and Max Ojomoh on what became a brilliant afternoon for Scotland's Finn Russell, who overcame early frustrations to kick 13 points, also teeing up Ojomoh after snatching an interception from inside his own half. Jack van Poortvliet opened the scoring with a try for Leicester, while second-half tries from Solomone Kata and Ilione nearly sparked a comeback. Handre Pollard added three Leicester conversions but the World Cup-winning South African fly-half will rue what might have been after a rare penalty miss. Bath Rugby are Premiership Champions!! 🔵⚫️⚪️ — Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) June 14, 2025 Tigers twice had men sent to the sin bin – departing captain Julian Montoya late in the first half, while Cole's swansong concluded unceremoniously with a controversial yellow. Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said: 'Our whole focus this season was on winning the Premiership. We gave ourselves that goal, kept that within the circle.' The South African coach said he would now pause for a moment of reflection before focusing on next season. He added: 'The day you stand still is the day somebody catches you. You must always train like number two because the other guys are coming. The best is yet to come.' A season we will never forget. Fighting until the very end for one another. #COYT 🐯 — Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 14, 2025 Leicester head coach Michael Cheika – to be replaced by Geoff Parling – will leave this summer at the end of his one-year contract, in addition to Argentina hooker Montoya, Pollard and former England back Mike Brown. And although he felt he would get himself 'in strife' for disclosing what he felt about some of the decisions that went against his side – vowing to take it up with the RFU's officiating chief Paul Hull as a 'final bit of banter' – Cheika was delighted by his team's resilience and felt the future of the club was bright. He added: 'I feel like if we can take those things that are intangible around belief and the standards you need to have to be able to compete, then it won't be long before they are on that podium themselves.'
