Bulls success in URC ‘spices up’ Tests between Boks and Ireland

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is thrilled with the efforts of the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship (URC) after they upset Irish giants Leinster in the semifinals to reach a second final in three seasons.

Leinster are considered one of the strongest franchise teams in the world, if not the strongest, due to the playing personnel at their disposal, with them contributing the majority of players to Ireland’s powerful national side.

They are thus almost always considered favourites when deploying their full-strength team in the URC and the Champions Cup competitions.

Stunning victory

Despite the odds being stacked against them the Bulls produced the goods again, as they did when they upset Leinster in Dublin in the inaugural URC season, this time winning their semifinal on home soil to progress to the final.

“We played Ireland in our (2023 World Cup) pool match and they beat us, so we’ve got lots of respect for how they do things,” Erasmus said.

“We almost see Leinster as the perfect club in terms of bringing players through, and their success and planning. I’ve coached there (in Ireland) and I’ve seen their model.”

Gutsy performance

“Well done to the Bulls. Losing so many star players (like Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie) before a big game like that, and going into a match where not a lot of things went their way, it was just a really gutsy performance,” Erasmus added.

“It’s a typical South African performance, not giving up. I don’t think a lot of people expected that result, although a lot of us hoped for that result.”

Leinster have also lost their last three games on South African soil, in the pool stage of the URC with an understrength team against the Lions and Stormers, as well as this past weekend with their first stringers against the Bulls.

Making amends

Their players will thus want to make amends when they return with Ireland next month for the incoming series against the Springboks, which will add plenty of spice to the two games in Pretoria and Durban.

“It’s not going to make the Irish series easier because they (Leinster) have now played three games in SA, losing to the Lions, Stormers and now to the Bulls,” explained Erasmus.

“They have experienced Loftus, the crowd, I know it wasn’t a full house but they were busy and they were loud, and we’re proud of what Jake did with the team.”