URC result: Bulls end Leinster’s 12-game winning streak with massive second-half performance

The Bulls ended Leinster’s 12-game winning streak in the United Rugby Championship (URC) after turning a 10–6 deficit at halftime into a 21–20 win at Loftus on Saturday.

They snatched the win after winning a scrum turnover during extra time, earning a penalty that set up David Kriel’s match-winning kick.

It meant the Irish side couldn’t secure their second win on South African soil following their 39–36 win against the Lions in April 2023 – almost two years ago.

This became Leinster’s seventh loss in South Africa since our teams joined the competition in the 2021/22 season.

The Bulls won opposition line-outs and stole the ball at the breakdown repeatedly. They also dominated scrums and mauls, winning numerous penalties that turned the tide.

Leinster win early momentum

New Zealand centre Jordie Barrett scored the only try of the first half, giving Leinster a 5–3 lead in the third minute after the Bulls failed to collect a high ball.

Otherwise, points came from Leinster flyhalf Ross Byrne (a conversion and a penalty) and Bulls flyhalf Keagan Johannes (two penalties).

Leinster looked to have scored a try later but RG Snyman was found to have held a defender back in the build-up, so the try was disallowed.

Both sides squandered ample chances in the opposition’s 22 so the score was a meagre 10–6 to Leinster at halftime.

Bulls turn it around in second half

Leinster wing Andrew Osborne scored on the sideline in the 43rd minute and Byrne’s conversion extended the lead to 11 points.

But the Bulls turned up the heat when their replacements came one, seeing Thomas Clarkson receive a yellow card for collapsing a maul centimetres from the try line, giving the Bulls a penalty try. The score was 17–13 after 58 minutes.

After numerous mauls and scrums going their way, the Bulls’ effort eventually paid off with a Johan Grobbelaar try from a driving maul in the 72nd minute. David Kriel missed the conversion to leave the lead at one point (18–17) eight minutes from time.

The Bulls were immediately left a man down after Sebastian de Klerk received a red card for tackling an opponent in the air, and said opponent landing on his head.

Byrne’s roughly 40m penalty kick following an offside retook the lead with less than three minutes to play.

However, the Bulls pushed a Leinster scrum back in extra time. Three minutes into extra time, David Kriel slotted the winning kick.

Scorers

Bulls: Tries – Johan Grobbelaar. Conversions – David Kriel 0/1. Penalties – Keagan Johannes 2/3, Kriel 1/1.

Leinster: Tries – Jordie Barrett, Andrew Osborne. Conversions – Ross Byrne 2/2. Penalties – Byrne 2/2.