URC Final: Leinster v Bulls - Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: If the Bulls are to finally lift the United Rugby Championship trophy, they may do well to heed the advice of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.

The Bulls return to Dublin on Friday for a blockbuster URC Final against defending champions Leinster at Croke Park, the same venue where the Irish giants dismantled them 32-7 in last year’s decider.

Asked what Johan Ackermann’s side needed to do differently this time around, Erasmus pointed to a blueprint much closer to home.

“If the Bulls look at what the Stormers did, Leinster are going to be tough; we all know that,” Erasmus said.

“But if you want to look at a blueprint on how to beat them, without getting a yellow or red card here or there, they can look at the Stormers. They came really close.”

*Read Rassie’s full comments HERE

The Stormers pushed Leinster to the brink in the semifinal before eventually falling short, exposing vulnerabilities the Bulls will hope to exploit.

Bulls bring their heavy artillery

The Bulls have selected arguably their strongest possible side for the biggest match of their season.

At the heart of their challenge is a powerful Springbok-laden pack that has bullied opponents throughout the campaign. The front row of Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Francois Klopper have become one of the most feared scrummaging units in the competition.

Their bench has also become a major weapon, with the Bulls often finishing stronger than opponents during the latter stages of matches.

Having lost three URC finals in four seasons, the Pretoria side know opportunities like this do not come around often.

Leinster loaded with international quality

Leinster, meanwhile, have made three changes from the side that defeated the Stormers.

Ireland internationals Tadhg Furlong and Jimmy O’Brien return to the starting lineup, while captain Caelan Doris leads a team packed with British and Irish Lions, Ireland stars and international experience.

The hosts will once again rely heavily on the influence of scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park, widely regarded as one of the world’s premier No.9s, while Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier form part of a formidable spine.

Rieko Ioane, lining up opposite Springbok utility back Canan Moodie, is one of several heavyweight individual contests.

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Epic matchups

Jamison Gibson-Park v Embrose Papier: Two of the most in-form scrumhalves on the planet lock horns on Friday night.

Leinster stalwart Jamison Gibson-Park will set the tempo for them as they attempt to become the first side in URC history to defend the tournament. Gibson-Park was instrumental in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, crossing then line with the game-winning try in the later.

South African URC Player of the Season Embrose Papier will spearhead a frightening Bulls attack. The scrumhalf already has six Man of the Match awards this campaign, combined with 12 tries, cementing him as a proven threat heading into the Grand Final. This is a huge opportunity for Papier to stake even more claims regarding a Springbok call up.

Sam Prendergast v Handre Pollard: An international battle at flyhalf headlines the billing at Croke Park.

Sam Prendergast has re-established himself as the first-choice 10 at Leinster. Having missed out on being involved in the 23-man squad who lost to Bordeaux in the Champions Cup Final, Prendergast has since operated almost flawlessly, earning the right to start on Friday night. Prendergast has tallied 83 points in the URC this campaign despite fighting for his place all season, ranking tenth across the whole competition. The fly-half is set to start in back-to-back Grand Finals, having notched 10 points off the tee in last year’s one-sided affair at Croke Park.

On the opposite side of the field, two times World Cup Winner Handre Pollard continues in the 10 shirts for the Bulls. The 85-time capped Springbok is the third highest scorer in the URC this season with 127 points, sitting behind fellow South African playmakers Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Chris Smith. Pollard will look to reignite his form from the quarterfinals, where he slotted all six conversions and recorded 15 points in Vodacom Bulls’ 45-14 demolition of Munster.

What the coaches said

Leo Cullen:

“That’ll be interesting, to observe how the Bulls’ go about playing against Jacques’ defensive system, because they will have a good understanding with obviously [Handre] Pollard and Willie le Roux, that will know him very, very well. So it’s a fascinating dynamic in how that plays out.”

“Johan, I know from his time, even when he was with Gloucester, we played Gloucester in a preseason game, and he’s steeped in South African tradition, and he understands the mindset and what’s important in terms of both DNAs. Year on year, we can see how the teams are getting stronger and stronger. So, it’s proper challenge for us, isn’t it? What else would you want from our point of view.”

“The Bulls, as we saw in the semi-final against Glasgow, they don’t fear coming away from home. Glasgow again probably been the form team this season and finished top of the log as well. Glasgow, 21-3 ahead in that game, you can see the Bulls, they just stay in the fight.”

“We’ve been to a final already. We would love to have an opportunity to go back and play that final again, but as we know, we don’t get those second chances. We don’t get to play a final again. But there’s lots of positive we can lean on from last year, but there’s also some learnings, painful learnings from a final that took place in Bilbao a few weeks ago. So, it’s just about putting all that into action there for us.”

Johan Ackermann:

“If we hammer on the past and ‘we need to fix this and it can’t happen again’, then you go into a negative mindset,” he says. “And we don’t want that.”

“Coaching is a calling. It’s a platform where you get the opportunity to influence young men.”

“Hopefully, the players will say I treated them with respect, and I made a difference off the field and in the way I coached,” he says.

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Touchdown.@Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA pic.twitter.com/iBbuqSZeOQ

— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) June 16, 2026

History favours Leinster

This will be Leinster’s 13th league final, with the Irish province boasting eight titles.

The Bulls, meanwhile, are appearing in their fourth URC Final and remain in search of a maiden title after defeats to the Stormers in 2022, Leinster in 2024 and Glasgow Warriors in 2025.

The Bulls arrive in Dublin on an eight-match winning streak and have historically performed better in Ireland than any other South African franchise, recording four victories from 12 visits.

They have also beaten Leinster twice in previous playoff encounters, including famous semifinal victories in 2022 and 2024.

Leinster may start as favourites on home soil, but the Bulls travel to Dublin armed with experience, momentum and a squad filled with proven winners.

If they can replicate the discipline and accuracy that Erasmus highlighted, they may finally end their long wait for URC glory.

*See the teams and prediction below!

Prediction: 

Rugby365: Leinster by six points

Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jamie Osborne, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Max Deegan, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rónan Kelleher, 1 Jerry Cahir.
Replacements: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Alex Usanov, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Diarmuid Mangan, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Garry Ringrose

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp
Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Nizaam Carr

Date: Friday, June 19
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Kick-off: 19.30 IST (20.30 SAST; 18.30 GMT)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Adam Jones (Wales), Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)

Additional source @URC