Leinster retain URC title after battering Bulls

Leinster captain Caelan Doris and departing duo Luke McGrath and James Lowe lift the URC trophy

Leinster demolished the Bulls 36-7 to retain their United Rugby Championship title but the victory could have repercussions for Ireland after Caelan Doris and Tommy O’Brien sustained injuries.

It was a familiar scenario with the repeat of the 2025 final delivering an even more emphatic outcome as the Springbok-packed Bulls were routed at Croke Park.

O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jack Conan, Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne ran in tries as Leinster were crowned champions for the 10th time, going some way to healing the wound of their Heineken Champions Cup final rout by Bordeaux-Begles last month.

It was a fitting farewell for wing James Lowe, who bowed out in his final appearance for the province he has served with distinction for nine years, while Sam Prendergast and Josh van der Flier produced eye-catching performances.

The only cloud over the evening was the first-half departures of Doris and O’Brien after they limped off to cause concern ahead of Ireland’s Nations Championship opener against Australia in Sydney on July 4.

The Bulls have lost in four of the last five finals and their problems in this latest defeat began after just 82 seconds when Canan Moodie was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and the points avalanche started.

While Doris was unsuccessfully trying to run off his injury, O’Brien pounced on a dropped ball by Handre Pollard, hacked on and touched down.

Moodie’s dismal afternoon continued when he slipped as Leinster launched a lineout move, allowing Hugo Keenan to race clear with Ioane in support to finish with a sharp step inside.

It then became Willie le Roux’s turn to visit the sin bin for another deliberate knock-on and moments later Conan, who had replaced Doris, muscled over from close range for his fourth try in four URC finals.

Man of the match Prendergast then rifled over a penalty to stretch the lead to 22-0 and although O’Brien joined Doris in limping off, there was no let up in intensity from Leinster as they struck again through their fly-half.

Lowe became the latest player to be shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and there were signs that the Bulls, aided by reinforcements from the bench, were starting to stir as Marcell Coetzee made a powerful run and then Moodie crossed.

The uprising was soon crushed, however, when Byrne finished off good work from his pack to complete Leinster’s resounding victory.