URC Final: Caelan Doris reveals injury and Leo Cullen pleased with 'big game' Sam Prendergast

In a re-match of last season's Grand Final, Leinster dropped the hammer down on the Pretoria side, with an emphatic 36-7 win at the home of Gaelic Sport. A Player of the Match performance from Sam Prendergast led Leinster from the front, with the fly half on hand to bag one of five Leinster tries. The hosts also crossed over through Tommy O'Brien, Reiko Ioane, Jack Conan and Harry Byrne, in what was a complete performance from the Dubliners.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was quick to hand the plaudits to Prendergast, who is set for a starring role in green this Summer. With his regular positional rival Jack Crowley injured for the Summer tour, Prendergast is expected lead the line across Australia and New Zealand for the Nations Championship. The fly half impressed all onlookers in attack and defence, with his stunning chase back try-saving moment recalled by Leo Cullen.

"With Sam, the moment that stands out to me most is his chase back when he goes down in that loose ball. You look at the score line, there's a big gap between the two teams, but that's not the way the game actually played out. It was not like we were 30 points better than the Bulls." Cullen said.

"The desire, the commitment to the team, that moment is the one that stands out for me the most. Then when the Bulls lose their guy to the [sin] bin, we're brave enough to play to space. There's the moment where he [Prendergast] takes the line on and puts in that 50:22 kick, and that's just the sign of a great young player playing at this level.

"He's had lots of experience now and just keeps getting better and better all the time. It's been a great challenge with the 10s this year, they keep pushing each other on." Cullen added. "It's pleasing to see Sam have a big game today."

However, underneath the many jubilant celebrations in the Irish capital, there was the uncertainty around Caelan Doris' injury. The Leinster and Ireland captain was withdrawn from the match after six minutes, after a nasty coming together saw his foot pinned beneath two Bulls defenders in a tackle. Thankfully, this exit was not due to a re-occurring knee injury, yet Doris confirmed that his future remains uncertain for the upcoming Summer tour.

Doris was named to lead Ireland down to Australia and New Zealand this July, for the Southern Series of the first ever Nations Championship. However, Doris revealed that he will undergo further assessment before his boarding pass his issued for the trip to the land down under. Speaking after the URC Grand Final at Croke Park, the Ireland number eight said;

"I'm unbelievably proud. Obviously very disappointed going off, battling the knee a little bit. It was fine in the end, but my foot got the better of me." Doris revealed.

"But, it was class watching on, not how I would have hoped the game went for me personally, but I did absolutely love sitting on the side watching the lads front up physically. It was class, similar to last year in some ways."

Whilst Leinster fans were dejected to see Doris depart the fray so early, his replacement Jack Conan once again rose to the occassion from the bench. Conan was a stand-out performer from the URC Grand Final, with his captain Doris happy to hand the praise to his back row teammate who held down the fort.

"Jack's been unbelievable for the group. I rate him as one of the best number eights in the world, and has been for the last number of years." Doris said. "He delivers consistently for Leinster and Ireland, as you mentioned at blind-side a couple of times as well.

"He leads the group unbelievably well as well. He's been part of the leadership group for a number of years is very supportive to me. He stepped up very well again today. Obviously, he started the final last year at skipper, and was class that day as well. He's had plenty of unbelievable performances, but he's a big, he's a big part of the group in terms of the humour he brings as well. So he's a big character."

If the United Rugby Championship title was not enough pre-match motivation, Leinster were fired up to give two departing legends the send-offs they deserved. As James Lowe and Luke McGrath ended their tenures, with the wing heading to Japan and the scrum half retiring from the sport, Cullen and Doris were delighted to see the two Leinster legends out with one last winners medal.

"We try to communicate as coaches and players how it is important for us." Cullen added. "It's not just about the group that we're actually playing in the game, it's bringing through the younger players, as well. So he's not involved in the game today, but listen, Luke McGrath, it's amazing to see him
there at the end with a trophy with James [Lowe], the two of them together.

"But we constantly [want] to bring through the next person for when the more experienced guy moves on, or whatever circumstances are in that. So, there's so much to love about the performance today, because there's definitely learnings that are being put into place, performance-wise."