VIDEO: Hurting Leinster primed for 'vengeful' Bulls
Leinster did a lot of soul-searching after they were whitewashed (35-0) by the Stormers last Friday.
Now they head to the Highveld for a replay of last year’s United Rugby Championship Final against the Bulls.
And they do so with several players under an injury cloud.
Jordan Larmour picked up a foot injury against the Stormers in Cape Town last Friday and will be further assessed this week before a final decision is made on his selection.
Jamie Osborne has picked up a minor hamstring injury and Cormac Foley picked up a calf injury, with both expected to be unavailable for selection for a few weeks.
There are no further updates on Caelan Doris, Joe McCarthy and Hugo Keenan.
Robin McBryde, a bitterly disappointed forwards coach, said they don’t know where the performance in Cape Town came from.
(WATCH as Leinster forwards coach Robin McBryde previews his team’s Round Two URC trip to Loftus Versfeld……)
“There has been a lot of soul-searching since last Friday,” said McBryde, who joined Leinster after his duties with Wales were complete at the 2019 World Cup.
“We can’t dwell on it, because we have a big challenge facing us on Saturday,” he said of the trip to Pretoria and a Round Two outing with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
“It doesn’t come much tougher than the Bulls, one of the most consistent teams in the URC.
“There is quality in that side.
“There is the added factor from the Final [when Leinster beat the Bulls in Dublin], so they will have an avenging mindset. Hopefully, we can stand up to it.”
McBryde said the forwards’ poor performance against the Stormers was his fault.
“I, obviously, didn’t prepare them well enough to stand up to the test last Friday,” the former Wales hooker said, adding: “It doesn’t come much harder than the Stormers away and the Bulls away the following week.
“We have an opportunity to go again and hopefully we give a better account of ourselves.”
@rugby365com
Preparations under way in Pretoria. 💪
Ready for another matchweek in South Africa. 🇿🇦 #BULvLEI #NeverLessThanEverything pic.twitter.com/3hVM3EXHxX
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) September 29, 2025