URC semi-final: Bulls 25 Leinster 20 James Lowe of Leinster in action against Francois Klopper of Vodacom Bulls during the United Rugby Championship semi-final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. Photo: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile Leinster face another inquest after a third season in a row ends without a trophy after they were outfought by a Bulls side who were full value for their URC semi-final win at Loftus Versfeld. The implications for Leinster after another barren season will rumble on long into the summer but the impact for Ireland will also need to be addressed as they return to this venue to take on the Springboks with a huge number of these Leinster players set to feature.
But a Leinster side which started with 15 full internationals and brought another half dozen off the bench were no match for a Bulls side who were without their Springbok wingers Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie. Jake White’s men dealt with that with the minimum of fuss and were also sharper throughout as Leinster struggled in the Highveld. The Bulls enjoyed 62% possession in the opening half and would have felt they should have been more than 10-7 in front at the end of a gruelling opening half.
Unsurprisingly, the Pretoria side bombarded the Leinster back three with high ball in the opening quarter but they were dealt with efficiently and with Garry Ringrose, making light of his long injury lay-off, getting in some crunching tackles, the Leinster line remained intact in face of the.
