URC Final adding spice to growing SA v Ireland rivalry

OPINION: South Africa’s biggest Northern Hemisphere rival has arguably been England, but lately we have seen that picture change from white to emerald green.

In 2022, I wrote a piece with the question as a headline: ‘An all-green rivalry brewing?’

I was in reference to South Africa and Ireland’s ever-growing competitiveness when these sides meet.

Since 2016, the Springboks have won three of their eight encounters against the Irish.

All three victories came in South Africa.

Ireland won on South African soil twice, with two wins at home and one on neutral ground (2023 World Cup).

The rivalry doesn’t stop at Test level.

Since South African sides joined the United Rugby Championship (formerly Pro 14) in 2021, the rivalry continued at a club level.

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The Stormers and Bulls set up an all-South African URC Final in 2022 after the Pretoria-based outfit upset Leinster in Dublin and the Capetonians edged Ulster.

In 2023, Leinster knocked the Sharks out in the quarterfinal, whilst the Stormers eliminated Connacht in the semifinal before losing to the men from Limerick, Munster, in the Final at the Cape Town Stadium.

In 2024, the Bulls beat Leinster to advance to the Final.

Now they stand on the brink of history when they face the Irish giants again this weekend.

The Pretoria-based outfit has already completed the ‘Irish Grand Slam‘ by defeating all four Irish franchises this season.

They have an opportunity to bury the ghosts of 2022 and 2024 and clinch the URC title against the more fancied Leinster, according to the bookmakers.

What the Bulls have is momentum, a gem of a tighthead in Wilco Louw who is anchoring their dominant pack, the best in the competition, as well as game-breakers at the back consisting of a great mix of youth and experience.

The pressure will be more on Leinster, seeing that it’s a home Final and their fans have become impatient due to their side’s title drought despite always playing in semifinals and finals.

The Bulls, on the other hand, have everything to gain and very little to lose, and for that reason, they will be brimming with confidence as they head into their third URC Final in four seasons.