Bulls to face Leinster in Vodacom URC Grand Final

The Vodacom Bulls will return to Dublin for a second successive Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final against Leinster after the two teams won their respective semi-finals in an enthralling weekend of rugby.

The URC has confirmed that the fifth Grand Final will take place on Friday, 19 June at Croke Park in Dublin, where Leinster and the Bulls will face each other in a rematch of last year’s decider. Kick-off is scheduled for 8.30pm (SAST) and the encounter will be broadcast live on SuperSport in South Africa.

The Bulls had to overcome two yellow cards in their semi-final in Edinburgh to clinch a nail-biting 22-21 victory against the Glasgow Warriors, who finished top of the log. It will be the team from Pretoria’s fourth appearance in the URC Grand Final.

Leinster had the upper hand against the DHL Stormers in Dublin after the visitors received three cards in the second stanza, which set up the Irish giants for a 20-11 victory, and secured them a home final in the process.

The Bulls produced a remarkable comeback from 21-3 down to edge the Warriors in a pulsating URC semi-final at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, booking their place in the Grand Final for the third successive season.

Glasgow dominated the opening exchanges, capitalising on the Bulls’ ill-discipline, which cost them two yellow cards — first to Handre Pollard for a deliberate knock-down and Ruan Nortje shortly after.

This paved the way for Kyle Steyn to cross twice in quick succession, before the Warriors were awarded a penalty try from a powerful rolling maul. The visitors’ only points, in turn, were compliments of a penalty by Pollard in the sixth minute.

Despite this, the Bulls refused to fold and they eventually powered over the chalk with Johan Grobbelaar scoring from strong forward play to reduce their deficit to 21-10 going into the break.

The second half, meanwhile, belonged entirely to the visitors, as they kept Glasgow scoreless, while Embrose Papier — the South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season — went over from a pick-and-go, before Francois Klopper dotted down in the 53rd minute with Glasgow reduced to 14 men, to hand the Bulls a one point lead.

Three missed penalty attempts by Pollard set nerves jangling in the closing stages but Johan Ackermann’s team held firm to seal the rewarding one-point victory.

Glasgow Warriors 21 (21) — Tries: Kyle Steyn (2), Penalty Try. Conversions: Dan Lancaster (2).

Vodacom Bulls 22 (10) — Tries: Johan Grobbelaar, Embrose Papier, Francois Klopper. Conversions: Handre Pollard (2). Penalty: Pollard.

Leinster ensured that they gave themselves the best possible opportunity to defend their URC title this season as they maintained their composure and took advantage of the Stormers’ ill-discipline at the Aviva Stadium to secure a vital victory in the second URC semi-final on Saturday.

This hard-fought victory earned the Irish giants the right to host the Grand Final against the Bulls in a repeat of last season’s decider.

The Capetonians started slowly and found themselves under pressure at the scrum early on but gradually wrestled that battle back and were competitive enough to earn occasional penalties as the match wore on.

Leinster struck first through a converted Rieko Ioane try in the eighth minute and two Sam Prendergast penalties stretched the lead to 13-0 before the Stormers found their footing.

Adre Smith crossed from a sustained drive on the Leinster line to get the Capetonians on the board and Jurie Matthee's penalty reduced the deficit to 13-8 at the break.

The second half, however, unravelled quickly for the Cape side, as Leolin Zas was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-down and Ruan Ackermann followed in the 69th minute for a dangerous clean-out at the ruck, which was upgraded to a red card.

Leinster capitalised immediately through Jamison Gibson-Park to extend their lead to 20-11 with 10 minutes remaining.

Worse was to come when Salmaan Moerat was sin-binned for kicking the ball in a ruck, leaving the Stormers to see out the final stages with 13 men. Their defence held to deny Leinster further scores but the damage was done, with the three cards in the second half proving too costly, bringing their campaign to a frustrating end.

Leinster 20 (13) – Tries: Rieko Ioane, Jamison Gibson-Park. Conversions: Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne. Penalties: Prendergast (2).

DHL Stormers 11 (8) – Try: Adre Smith. Penalties: Jurie Matthee (2).