Croke Park to host 2025 URC Grand Final - Leinster face Bulls in blockbuster clash

Leinster, who topped the table at the end of the regular season, will have home advantage for this titanic encounter. The Irish giants will welcome South Africa’s Vodacom Bulls to Dublin, as the two highest-ranked teams in the league battle it out for the title.

It’s a landmark moment not only for Leinster but for Irish sport, as the GAA’s iconic Croke Park opens its doors to rugby’s showpiece event. The venue is steeped in history and famed for Gaelic Football and Hurling, yet will transform into the centre of attention for rugby fans across both hemispheres.

Leinster are no strangers to big occasions at Croke Park. Earlier this season, their URC clash with Munster at the stadium drew a record-breaking crowd of 80,468 fans, the highest ever for a URC match. That followed a memorable Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton Saints in 2023/24, where the province once again delivered in front of a packed crowd.

Despite both sides boasting rich rugby pedigrees, neither has claimed the URC title in its current BKT format. The Bulls have twice fallen short at the final hurdle, while Leinster, eight-time champions under the league’s previous generations, are yet to reach the summit in the BKT URC era.

There’s plenty of recent history between the sides too. The Bulls have accounted for two of Leinster’s three semi-final exits in the URC, which is a record the Irish province will be desperate to avenge.

This year’s final will feature a wealth of talent, with several players in contention for the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad going head-to-head with seasoned Springboks, including double World Cup-winning fullback Willie le Roux.

The final will be broadcast live to fans around the world. Viewers in Ireland can catch the action on TG4 and Premier Sports, while South African audiences can tune in via SuperSport.

Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 UK / 18:00 SAST — don’t miss this historic clash at one of sport’s most iconic venues.