Leinster’s trophy drought continues as Bulls beat international-packed side

Robbie Henshaw and Leinster were stopped in their tracks by the Bulls in Pretoria - Getty Images/Lee Warren

Leinster will finish a third successive season without a trophy after a starting XV containing 15 Irish internationals lost 25-20 to the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship semi-final in Pretoria.

The Irish province have a strong claim to being the biggest underachieving side in world rugby given the scale of their resources – they had another half dozen internationals on their bench – after also losing in the Champions Cup final to Toulouse in extra time. That was their fourth defeat in the European Cup final in six years, having lost previously to Saracens and twice to La Rochelle. Leinster had brought in Jacques Nienaber, the double-World Cup winning coach with South Africa, in the hope of getting them over the winning line, but, as with this year’s Champions Cup, he could not inspire his charges to victory against his compatriots who were worthy winners at Loftus Versfeld.

The Bulls established a 10-7 half-time lead after Johan Goosen crossed following James Lowe’s opening try. Jake White’s side were missing Springbok wingers Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie but stand-in Sergeal Petersen scored two tries in the second half.

While Leinster replied through No 8 Calean Doris and piled on some late pressure, at one stage going through 22 phases, they came up short for another season.

This is likely to prompt an inquest regarding Leo Cullen’s tenure as head coach. Although, ever hopeful of adding to their four Champions Cup titles, they have secured the signings of All Black Jordie Barrett and Springbok second row RG Snyman for next season. This season, however, is another one without silverware.

The Bulls will now face the winners of the Munster v Glasgow Warriors semi-final and their victory will act as a considerable boost for the world champions Springboks ahead of their Test series against Six Nations champions Ireland this summer.

Unexpected Leinster defeat ramps up stakes for Ireland series against Springboks

Leinster’s defeat provides an unexpected twist before Ireland make their trip to South Africa in the summer. Even with the side travelling to Loftus and playing at altitude, the assumption was that they would have more than enough to contain a weakened Bulls outfit, missing key players through injury like Marcell Coetzee and Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Jordan Larmour, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris all started against the Bulls, and all finished the Six Nations as starters against Scotland, too, a few months ago. While a fully-fit Garry Ringrose plus James Ryan and Ryan Baird also played in Pretoria and are key figures for the national side. That’s a huge chunk of Andy Farrell’s impressive squad, and the scrummaging of Wilco Louw in particular against Porter will have given the Ireland coach food for thought.

A penny for Andy Farrell's thoughts after Leinster's defeat to the Bulls - Getty Images/Charles McQuillan

For Leinster it’s another brutally disappointing end to a season which promised so much more, the great juggernaut of Irish rugby now without a league title since 2021 and a European crown since 2018. That simply feels like too long a trophy drought for a side of their stature.

For Farrell and Ireland it serves as highly valuable scouting material to consult in the build-up to the first Test at the same venue (at the same altitude) on July 6.

What went wrong for Leinster? Plenty. Now Ireland have learn from the provincial side’s mistakes.

The rivalry between Ireland and South Africa is simmering. Back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs do not appear to be enough to fix the Springboks’ need to find a grievance and convert that into motivational fuel, an approach which in the Erasmus-Nienaber era has produced spectacular results.

In this case it’s the way the Irish media apparently treated the side after a 38-3 defeat in Dublin back in 2017 (no, not that recent...), to which you want to ask what were you expecting, some sympathy flowers and a pat on the back? South Africa are desperate to beat Ireland, which sets us up for a tantalising summer.

The Bulls putting Leinster away was a nice appetiser.

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