The Vodacom Bulls will face Irish powerhouse Leinster Rugby in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) Grand Final after both teams emerged victorious in their respective semi-final clashes this past weekend.
The championship decider will take place at Croke Park in Dublin on 19 June, with kick-off scheduled for 20:30. The match will be a repeat of last season’s final and marks the Bulls’ fourth appearance in a URC Grand Final.
The Vodacom Bulls secured their place in the final with a dramatic 22-21 victory over Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
The Pretoria side endured a difficult start, falling 21-3 behind after yellow cards to Handré Pollard and Ruan Nortjé handed momentum to Glasgow. Kyle Steyn crossed for two tries, while the hosts also benefited from a penalty try following a dominant rolling maul.
Pollard’s early penalty was all the Bulls had to show for their efforts during the opening stages, but they responded before halftime when hooker Johan Grobbelaar powered over for a try, reducing the deficit to 21-10 at the break.
The second half belonged entirely to the visitors. Embrose Papier, the URC Player of the Season, ignited the comeback with a try from close range before Francois Klopper crossed in the 53rd minute to give the Bulls a 22-21 lead.
Despite three missed penalty attempts from Pollard in the closing stages, the Bulls defended resolutely to hold on for a memorable one-point victory, securing a place in their third consecutive URC final and keeping alive their hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time.