Leinster player ratings vs Bulls as the Irish giants powered their way to victory in the URC Final at Croke Park.
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Leinster retained their United Rugby Championship title with a dominant 36-7 victory over the Bulls at Croke Park. Tries from Tommy O'Brien, Reiko Ioane, Sam Prendergast, Jack Conan and Harry Byrne sealed the win, with Prendergast producing a standout display.
The Bulls were reduced to 14 men after just a minute when Canan Moodie was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on. Leinster quickly took advantage, with O'Brien pouncing on a loose pass and racing clear to score after five minutes.
Leo Cullen's side continued to dominate and doubled their lead after 15 minutes. A quick line-out from Jamison Gibson-Park sparked a brilliant counter-attack, with Hugo Keenan breaking through before sending Ioane over for a superb try. The Bulls' discipline issues continued as Willie le Roux was also shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.
Scroll down for Leinster player ratings vs Bulls:.
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Leinster 36
- Tries: O'Brien 7', Lowe?* Ioane 16', Conan 27', S Prendergast (47'), Byrne (76')
- Cons: S Prendergast 8', 28', 47', Byrne (76')
- Pens: S Prendergast 32'
Bulls 7
- Tries: Moodie (62')
- Cons:
- Pens:
Leinster Player ratings vs Bulls:
HUGO KEENAN – 7.5
Calm and comfortable in the air from the get-go, and exploded into the backfield before playing the 15th-minute assist to Reiko Ioane. Delivered an outstanding kick chase to claim a 24th-minute ball and pin the Bulls back on their try-line.
TOMMY O'BRIEN (OFF 40') – 7.5
The quickest reactions on the pitch, as Tommy O'Brien pounced on a wayward pass intended for Handré Pollard and raced away from halfway to bag the opening try after just six minutes. Also impressed with some aggressive defence, as the wing flew off his line to make his tackles.
REIKO IOANE – 7
Asking questions of the Bulls defence from the word go, with the All Blacks man making his mark on the gain-line. Ioane was on hand to finish Leinster's second try, with a stunning finish after Hugo Keenan split the defence.
JAMIE OSBORNE – 6.5
Arguably the season's most in-form centre, wasted no time getting into the mix, with some rapid-fire carries locking onto the Bulls gain-line. Osborne was the glue of the Leinster backline, with quick hands bringing in the flying outside backs when not going alone. Osborne delivered some stunning tackles, with a 37th-minute hit forcing a knock-on from a Bulls player.
JAMES LOWE – 7
Immediately into the match with a break in the first minute, with the Leinster fans savouring every second of their departing wing. Got a nice ovation after nailing a thumping kick to touch – Leinster will miss his revered left boot. Lowe was just denied a farewell try in the 18th minute, as he was muscled into touch by the Bulls defenders. Was a fingertip away from an intercept try in the 58th minute, yet the wing fumbled the ball forward and was adjudged to have deliberately knocked it on. Lowe took a trip to the bin on his final Leinster outing, as the referee became the most unpopular man in Croke Park.
SAM PRENDERGAST – 9 (OFF 68') MAN OF THE MATCH
Had the quick thinking to call for the quick lineout and then find Hugo Keenan on the inside line in the lead-up to Reiko Ioane's try. Delivered a phenomenal piece of try-saving defence in the first half, putting his body on the line beneath the fly-hacking boots of Stravino Jacobs. Delivered some inch-perfect kicking from hand, including some awesome spiral bombs, with the fly-half brimming with confidence. Added a try of his own early in the second half to complete a brilliant performance.
JAMISON GIBSON-PARK – 7
At the heart of an exhilarating half-back battle against the in-form Embrose Papier, and delivered an eye-catching pass from the touchline in the build-up to Reiko Ioane's try. Whilst his half-back partner Prendergast took the headlines, Gibson-Park's quick ball distribution was paramount to Leinster's attacking success. Led Leinster downfield with some neat grubber kicks to establish field position in the latter stages.
JERRY CAHIR – 7 (OFF 48')
Plenty of pressure upon the young prop's shoulders, with Andrew Porter out of the final through injury. Starting only his seventh Leinster match, the opening scrums were reset in favour of the Bulls. The tide turned at the scrum at the half-hour mark, as Leinster rallied their forward pack strength. A great effort to hold his own against the favoured Springbok forwards.
RONAN KELLEHER – 6.5 (OFF 47')
The set-piece started sharply for Ronan Kelleher, with the hooker delivering marksman-like throws. However, the front row was turned over upon an early drive to the Bulls try-line. Received some medical attention after a heavy coming together midway through the first half and was held up over the line upon a first-half pick-and-go.
TADHG FURLONG – 6 (OFF 47')
The veteran of the Leinster propping pillars, Furlong had to both wrestle with Springboks star Gerard Steenekamp and bring Cahir through the ranks on the big stage. The early scrums were controlled by the Bulls. Got the upper hand for a 30th-minute scrum penalty, as the Bulls back-pedalled.
JOE McCARTHY – 7 (OFF 69')
Muscled his way to the gain-line against the bulky Bulls defenders, McCarthy made his presence felt with some thunderous carries. Thought he'd crossed the whitewash in the 23rd minute, with the pyrotechnics set off despite no try being awarded. Eager to disrupt the Bulls set-piece, with second-half line-outs halted by the Ireland lock.
JAMES RYAN – 6.5
Always looking to be the man on the supporting line, as the veteran Ireland lock dug in for the hard yards to gain Leinster that extra bit of go-forward. Ryan ran a tight ship at the lineout, as Leinster brimmed with confidence with a steady 22-0 lead established.
MAX DEEGAN – 7.5
A constant threat to disturb the Bulls lineout attack, in what has steadily become the calling card of the Leinster back row. Visibly pumped to steal a 20th-minute lineout against the throw. The back row forced a 32nd-minute throw to go not straight, as the Bulls struggled against Leinster's aerial assassin. A late break along the wing was a standout moment from the ever-improving Leinster man.
JOSH VAN DER FLIER – 7
The flanker was on hand to deliver his usual brand of defensive fortitude, with a quick first step off the line to bring down the bruising Bulls forwards. Quick to react to the ample loose balls of the final, with plenty of spills at Croke Park. Visibly tried to cheer his side forward at the scrum and get into the heads of the Bulls. A tremendous effort to hold the ball up over his own line, albeit with an illegal Bulls player dropping a shoulder into his back.
CAELAN DORIS – N/A (OFF 6')
Some concern around the Leinster and Ireland captain, who received medical attention after just four minutes of play and limped off after a double tackle. Doris would depart shortly afterwards, unable to continue.
REPLACEMENTS:
DAN SHEEHAN – 6.5 (ON 47')
Thrown on as part of a double substitution with Thomas Clarkson, as Leo Cullen deployed the replacement pack. The second-half scrum started with Leinster on the back foot, with the Bulls regaining some confidence at the set-piece.
ALEX USANOV – 6.5 (ON 48')
On just a minute after his fellow replacement front-row forwards entered the match, as he replaced Jerry Cahir. Whilst Cahir held his own at the scrum, there were some early set-piece issues for the second-half front row, with Usanov in the mix. Plenty of scrum resets, as the Bulls' Bomb Squad had the desired impact and disrupted Leinster's momentum.
THOMAS CLARKSON – 6.5 (ON 47')
Part of the double substitution with Dan Sheehan, and was right into the fold with some short, sharp carries against the Bulls. Like Sheehan and Usanov, the second-half scrum took a bit of a backward step for Leinster after such assured first-half scrummaging.
DIARMUID MANGAN – 5.5 (ON 69')
On for the closing 11 minutes of the URC Grand Final, with the hard work by no means done against the momentum-finding Bulls pack. It was by no means a headline-grabbing cameo, yet Mangan made his tackles and contributed with ball in hand with apparent eagerness.
JACK CONAN – 8 (ON 6')
Into the fray much earlier than he would have anticipated, with Caelan Doris injured after just six minutes. Immediately into the action with some gutsy defending, putting his body on the line against the Bulls. Conan delivered Leinster's third score, as he muscled his way over the line from close range. The replacement back-rower was brilliant at a moment's notice and stood out in the dominant Leinster win.
LUKE McGRATH – 5.5 (ON 73')
It was quite the occasion for the replacement scrum-half, as Leinster legend Luke McGrath ended his career in the URC Grand Final. Seven minutes from the end, McGrath helped see the Dubliners over the line once again.
HARRY BYRNE – 6.5 (ON 68')
Taking over for the man of the moment Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne had the task of steering the ship over the finish line with a 12 minute run-out. Byrne bagged Leinster's final try of the night, as he dove between the posts for the nail in the coffin.
GARRY RINGROSE – 6 (ON 40')
Into the match just before the end of the first half, with the try-scoring Tommy O'Brien replaced to a resounding ovation. The centre had to wait out the half-time break to make his impact, with some neat carries under his belt, but not a show-stealing performance from the bench. Ringrose had to be switched on to deny Kurt-Lee Arendse the regather on a kick chase, and also sent in a handful of thumping tackles into the Bulls.
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