Leinster overpowered the Bulls 32-7 in Dublin to claim their ninth United Rugby Championship title with a commanding four-try victory.
Fast Start Sets Tone For Leinster Domination
Leinster (1.15) stormed out of the gates at Croke Park, scoring three tries in the opening 22 minutes to stun the Bulls. Jack Conan opened the scoring with a pick-and-go effort after Leinster dominated early territory and possession under wet, cold Dublin skies. Jordie Barrett added another try seven minutes later, chasing his own chip kick from the base of a ruck to score.
Josh van der Flier powered over from a rolling maul for Leinster’s third try, building a commanding 19-0 first-half lead. The Bulls (5.60) struggled to gain momentum early, with Leinster’s structured defence repelling multiple attacking phases before halftime.
Bulls Respond But Can’t Match Leinster’s Quality
The Bulls found some rhythm before halftime, stringing together attacking phases but failing to crack Leinster’s disciplined defensive structure.
Early in the second half, Sam Prendergast slotted a penalty to stretch Leinster’s lead further, making the score 22-0 after 44 minutes. Akker van der Merwe replied with a powerful try for the Bulls, crashing over following solid forward pressure near Leinster’s line. Johan Goosen converted, reducing the deficit to 22-7 and giving the Bulls brief hope of a second-half resurgence.
Despite several promising passages, the Bulls couldn’t breach the tryline again as Leinster’s defence held firm under increasing pressure.
Leinster Seals The Deal With Ruthless Finish
Prendergast added another penalty in the 68th minute, extending Leinster’s lead and further draining the Bulls’ hopes of a late comeback.
In the 73rd minute, Fintan Gunne burst through the defence after a smart wrap-around move and sprinted clear to score. Ross Byrne converted Gunne’s try to push the score to 32-7, putting the result beyond any realistic reach for the Bulls. Leinster saw out the remaining minutes with control and calm, ensuring they ended their title drought, which dated back to 2021.
The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations as Leinster lifted their ninth domestic trophy in front of 40,000 delighted home fans.
Bulls Outplayed, Outmuscled And Outthought In Every Department
Leinster combined sharp attacking execution, set-piece dominance, and fierce defence to outplay the Bulls in all facets of the final. They made clever use of tactical kicking, forcing the Bulls to turn, and consistently broke the line with incisive running angles.
Even under pressure near their line, Leinster held firm, demonstrating the mental and physical composure needed to win major finals. The Bulls, playing in their third final since 2022, again fell short on the big stage, unable to match Leinster’s tempo and precision.
For Leinster, this was a complete performance and a statement of intent as they returned to the summit of franchise rugby.
