‘Absolutely shocking' – Ireland star Terry Kennedy slams IRFU after scrapping of Sevens programme
Former World Rugby Sevens player of the year Terry Kennedy has slammed the IRFU and taken a swipe at big-spending Leinster after the Sevens programme this week
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The 42
41 minutes ago
- The 42
White feels 'stars are aligned' as Bulls look to inflict more URC pain on Leinster
THE SUN BROKE through just as the Bulls team bus pulled into St Mary's RFC in Templeogue yesterday morning. It was a low-key outing for a team hoping to inflict further devastation on Leinster in Saturday's URC Grand Final [KO 5pm]. A gym session was followed by some pitch work in front of an empty stand, bar one lucky young supporter who waited by the dressing room entrance with a ball and marker, every player stopping to fill the white spaces on his souvenir. Upstairs on a sunny patio, head coach Jake White shook hands and briefed the media on his team's travels from South Africa and their plans for the week, having touched down in Dublin on Monday evening – early enough for the Bulls boss to tune into RTÉ's 'Against the Head' from his hotel room. A relaxed start to the biggest week of the Bulls' season. Keagan Johannes and Harold Vorster sign autographs. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO This is a group who know all about finals rugby, having featured in two of the three previous URC deciders – losing to the Stormers in 2022 and Glasgow last year. Finally getting over the line this time around is not their only source of motivation. Last month, the organisation was rocked by the news that Cornal Hendricks had passed away at the age of 37. The former Springbok had wrapped up his playing career with the Bulls just last season. The South African side retired the number 14 jersey for the remainder of this campaign in his honour. That number, 14, also struck White as he did his research ahead of this weekend's trip to Croke Park. 'He died on the 14th of May, and Saturday we play on the 14th of June,' White said. It's quite an ominous number. Funny enough, I was doing a bit of homework and I read that Bloody Sunday, 14 people died at Croke Park. It's quite amazing that the number 14 comes up. 'A lot of these boys probably haven't understood what the significance of Croke Park means in history and to be fair, if I am being really honest, I told them not to comment or to be sucked in to anything that would lead anyone to read it the wrong way. 'Everyone has a feeling about it and for us the fact that it is the 14th of the month, that when I read it was 14 people I thought, jeez, it was quite spooky, you know? He dies on the 14th of May. I think his son was born on the 14th of December. Advertisement Bulls head coach Jake White. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO 'There is a lot of relevance, the number 14 not being used this weekend. Sometimes you need that. You guys are from Ireland and look what Munster did in the time that they lost their coach (Anthony Foley) and how quickly the reason why just turned the way Munster became for that year. 'Stars are aligned. Hopefully we will use that in our favour.' The Bulls are embracing the underdog tag but come to Dublin with history on their side, having knocked Leinster out of the semi-finals twice (2022 and 2024). The fixture has grown into a tasty rivalry, and yesterday, White spoke glowingly about the province. I will tell you something, there is no doubt Leinster are the benchmark of what I do and how I prepare, and the benchmark of what's happened at the club. 'We have had three Springbok coaches coach the Bulls: myself, John Williams and Heyneke Meyer. I would hate to know, and I haven't looked for any other reason, but I wonder how many international coaches have coached Leinster. I'm sure it's a lot more than three. 'Leinster have proven over the years how they recruit, how they play. Look at a guy like Leo Cullen, he is a fantastic role model for what Leinster is all about. He has captained them, he has coached them. He epitomises Leinster. I can only praise them. A lot of teams are trying to emulate what they have done, how they've done it and how they have gone about their business because there's no doubt they are the bench make of where we want to get to.' And yet it's the Bulls who have been more prominent when it comes to this part of the season, with Cullen's men preparing to play in their first URC final. White might look at Leinster's resources with some envy, but he's forged a group who feel comfortable and confident when it comes to playing knockout rugby. Ticket sales for Saturday's final were pushing 30,000 after the first day of public sale, with URC organisers hoping to land around 40,000 come the weekend – upper tier tickets starting at €30 were released Tuesday afternoon. Most of those will be in Leinster blue, but the Bulls feel past experience can stand to them in an away final. 'This group of players have probably far exceeded expectations of anybody in the last four years,' White continued. The Bulls held a gym session at St Mary's. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO 'I'm not for one minute saying we're not aware of the fact that we've had three finals, but we're aware of the fact that we've exceeded everything that anyone has expected, and we've batted above our weight for a long time. Hopefully this game will be the one where we will learn from the two other opportunities we had to win a competition like this.' 'It would be massive for us (to win on Saturday),' he added. 'I've read about the top 15 clubs and the budgets they have and we weren't mentioned in that top 15. Leinster, Toulouse, those sort of clubs would be considered the top clubs in the world. 'It would be massive for us, for this club too because I think playing in three finals in four years shows that they're good enough. But I've been around enough to know there's not a service award, you don't just get to win trophies because you play in finals. 'A lot of people think that 'it's your third final', surely this is the one you win, but you could play in 10 finals and never win. I've coached in France, seen teams that played in finals… I mean, Racing Metro – how many European Cups have they won? None. There was a time Racing Metro were an incredible team and they still couldn't get over the line. 'It made me realise that there's no right to win these games, sometimes you can play many, many finals and not get over the line. So, to get over the line would be incredible for us. It would be a massive achievement, especially for this group because I still don't think they are where they need to be or where they could be.' Leinster might just feel the same way, and the pressure is certainly on the home side given their growing number of painful losses in knockout games. 'We're under pressure too,' White countered. 'People will say the Bulls have lost one (URC final) at home that people expected us to win, so it depends which side of the coin you look at. They're a quality team. I know you guys are harsh on them and I read in between the lines what the expectation is, but they're still a very, very well-coached team. They're still a team that's revered by the teams in the competition. 'I said it from day one, when I saw them get a good start (in the URC) and go five points, five points, five points… my message for the last four or five months was 'If you think you're good enough to beat Leinster away, then you've got to win all these games to get to the final', which we've now done. The question I've said to them this week is, 'you've said you're going to beat Leinster away, now let's see how good we are'. 'That's been coming for four months, because it was inevitable that they were going to get first place because no one was going to catch them. It's now D-day for us, to do what we said we were going to do.'
The 42
41 minutes ago
- The 42
No scrum, no win: Leinster set to lock horns with the Bulls
ITALIAN REFEREE ANDREA Piardi will have lots of big decisions to make in the URC final on Saturday evening at Croke Park. And it's likely that some of his most demanding calls will come at scrum time. South African sides have long been respected for their aggressive, powerful, technically strong scrummaging. The Bulls are of that ilk. And over the last two seasons in particular, Leinster have also emerged as a pack who want to scrummage for penalties. In the past, some Irish sides have primarily seen the scrum as a platform to play off, but that mindset has shifted in Leinster. Piardi saw more evidence of that last weekend as he refereed their semi-final win over Glasgow, awarding several scrum penalties in Leinster's favour. 'It's something that had frustrated us over the last couple of weeks,' says Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan. 'Playing against Scarlets [in the quarter-final] in particular, we were told when the ball was at the back just to play it, [even] when we were going forward and it was collapsing. 'I think it has definitely been part of our DNA over the last year or two that we want to be scrumming for penalties, getting access [into the opposition 22] that way and playing off the back of a going-forward scrum. 'Obviously, the Bulls have their own threat. They have the best scrum in the league stats-wise, which is what I was told next door… by a South African. 'But that's their rugby. 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 to the scrum. I look forward to the battle on Saturday.' Advertisement Leinster's scrum has been more aggressive in the last two years. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO Whichever South African told Sheehan about the scrum stats was right. Data from Oval Insights shows that the Bulls and Leinster are the two best teams in the URC at winning scrum penalties. The Bulls have won 62 scrum penalties this season and Leinster have won 54. But the South African side have conceded significantly fewer scrum penalties – 20 to Leinster's 35. That rate of scrum penalty concessions won't surprise Leinster fans who have watched their pack rather relentlessly go after success in that area. The flip side of being so aggressive is that refereeing decisions can go against you. But play it safe and there is never any reward. Leinster had a good day at the scrum last weekend against Glasgow as tighthead Thomas Clarkson found favour with referee Piardi, so they'll be hoping for more of the same this weekend. Tadhg Furlong remains on the comeback trail, so Clarkson and Rabah Slimani look set to go again as Leinster's tighthead duo, while Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher will be the hookers. It remains to be seen how Leinster configure their starting pack, with Slimani and Kelleher's scrummaging qualities surely tempting. Key man Andrew Porter will start again at loosehead unless Leinster decide to go with the tactic of bringing him off the bench during the first half. Jack Boyle backed Porter up last weekend and could do so again, even if Cian Healy is bidding farewell to Leinster after this game. Leinster scrum specialist Robin McBryde will hope his charges can earn set-piece momentum for their team in this URC decider. Bulls scrum coach Werner Kruger – who previously played for the Bulls, Scarlets, and South Africa – has some serious firepower to work with. Leinster have felt the force of the Bulls on several occasions in recent years, while the Sharks were on the receiving end in last weekend's semi-final. Heavyweight Springboks tighthead Wilco Louw is backed up by the assertive Mornay Smith, that duo providing plenty of power on the right-hand side of the Bulls front row. Loosehead prop Jan-Hendrick Wessels has been one of the most impressive Bulls this season. He made his Boks debut last year and still covers hooker, making two starts there in this URC campaign. The Bulls can call on the dynamism of Alulutho Tshakweni or Simphiwe Matanzima off the bench. Italian referee Andrea Piardi will be in charge for the final. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO Johan Grobbelaar is a consistent operator at hooker, where he competes with the more experienced Akker van der Merwe, who has been capped by the Boks. All in all, it's a serious front row unit and the Bulls have a huge scrummaging culture that every forward buys into. Bulls flankers don't tend to hang off scrums; their shoulders are to the wheel. The physical challenge will be similar at the lineout, maul, ruck, and in every carry and tackle. More than anything, Leinster believe that his final is about fronting up. 'I think everything comes off the back of physicality,' says Sheehan. 'You can have the best game plan in the world and it won't go well if your physicality is not right. 'Whereas if you have a poor game plan and get your physicality right, a lot of the time it works.' And Leinster know the Bulls will be honing in on this element of the URC decider. 'You have to brave and put yourself in front of these big fellas,' says Sheehan. 'They'll try to test you. They'll push buttons. It's chat after the ball goes out, it's rubbing your head in the dirt. But you know, you get that on both sides of the ball and I think people enjoy it. I think fans enjoy it. 'I think when you get it right, it's incredibly rewarding to get a win over a South African team. We've experienced that over the years, so I think it's a good battle and it's a good spectacle and I hope there's good excitement building through the week and we get a good crowd there. I think it will be a good game on Saturday.'
Irish Daily Mirror
43 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Jake White says the numbers, including those of Bloody Sunday, are with Bulls
Former Springbok Cornal Hendricks was a living legend during his years at Bulls, 2019-24. But following his tragic death two months back he has become a symbol of unity and diversity, the club going as far as retiring his no14 jersey. Bulls right-wingers wear no23 in games. Given Hendricks died on May 14th and the URC final is being played on June 14th, wily Bulls coach Jake White was quick to make another for it... "Funny enough, I was doing a bit of homework about Croke Park and I read that Bloody Sunday, 14 people died there," said White becoming the first person in our storied history to co-opt Irish 'war' dead for use, on site, against us. "Cornal died on the 14th of May and we play the URC final on Saturday 14th of June. It's quite an ominous number so there is a lot of nice memories of Cornal that we will use and the number 14. Hopefully it will be a fantastic day on the 14th off June for us as a club as well. It's quite amazing that the number 14 keeps coming up. Stars are aligned. Hopefully we will use that in our favour.' Written in the Stars? There is no 14th sign of the Zodiac (indeed whether there is even a 13th sign is long-contested) but White is not going to pass up Bloody Sunday once it has been coughed up in his lap. 'There is a lot of relevance, the number 14 not being used this weekend. Sometimes you need that. "You guys are from Ireland and look what Munster did in the time that they lost their coach (Anthony Foley, RIP 2016) and how quickly the reason why just turned the way Munster became for that year. 'A lot of these boys weren't around probably (when Croke Park was opened to rugby) and haven't understood what the significance of Croke Park means in history. "And to be fair, if I am being really honest, I told them not to comment or to be sucked in to anything that would lead anyone to read it the wrong way. 'Everyone has a feeling about it and for us the fact that it is the 14th if the month, that when I read it was 14 people that died I thought, jeez, it was quite spooky, you know? Cornel dies on the 14th of May. I think his son was born on the 14th of December." Munster would make the final of the PRO12 in 2016/17 but lost to Scarlets at Thomond Park and, earning a home Champions Cup semi-final, lose to Saracens. Moreover White isn't for kow-towing to idea Leinster have all the aces available in the rugby deck and scoffed at fellow South African and current Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith suggesting Leinster, with their Academy and their pathways, were 'eight years ahead of rest of URC…'. Ever the iconoclast (someone who questions or opposses generally accepted beliefs) White asked: 'How come they are eight years ahead of them (Glasgow) now? Last year they weren't next to them. "Look, they are years ahead, lets not kid ourselves, I hear 13 British Lions and 12 guys going on the Irish tour this summer plus three internationals if you look at Barrett, Slimani and RG Snyman and then you have guys like Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath that weren't picked. 'That's 30 guys in their squad, They probably have more Irish international caps than we have URC games under our belt ao that's the significant point. "I don't know why Franco would say that. I don't know how he gets to eight years but I will tell you something there is no doubt that Leinster are the benchmark of what I do and how I prepare, and the benchmark of what's happened at this Club." White points out there are three former Springbok coaches currently with the Bulls but that Leinster comes from generations of 'international' coaches: "Myself (2004-07 and RWC 2007 winner), John Williams (1992-93) and Heyneke Meyer (2012-15) are here now and have been South Africa coaches. "I would hate to know, and I haven't looked but I wonder how many international coaches have coached Leinster. I'm sure it's a lot more than three. 'So if you look at that it's not just the eight years. Leinster have proven over the years how they recruit, how they play. Look at a guy like Leo Cullen. He is a fantastic role model for what Leinster is all about. He has captained them, he has coached them. He epitomises Leinster. I can only praise them. "A lot of teams are trying to emulate what they have done, how they've done it and how they have gone about their business because there's no doubt they are the benchmark of where we want to get to." Bulls have come this far - and their sponsor paid for first-class Sunday plane tickets as opposed to Monday travel - and are just on step short. "What I've said is if you want to win the lotto, you make sure you've got a ticket and there's only two teams who have got a ticket now. "That doesn't mean it's a lottery. It just means that if you want to keep yourself alive, and you want to win the lotto... "There's a great joke, a guy asked God every day, please let me win the lotto, please let me win the lotto, and eventually God said, meet me halfway and buy a ticket." The Bulls have previously won Super 14 titles in 2007, 2009 and 2010 and remain the only South African team to have taken that title. Crusaders have 12, Blues are next with four and Bulls third with three. White desperately wants to add a URC. "It would be massive for us," he says, "I've read about the top 15 clubs and the budgets they have and we weren't mentioned in that top 15. Leinster, Toulouse, those sort of clubs would be considered the top clubs in the world. "It would be massive for us, for this club too because I think playing in three finals in four years shows that our players are good enough. "But I've been around enough to know there's not a service award, you don't just get to win trophies because you play in finals."
