URC: Bulls v Leinster,
Loftus Versfeld, Saturday, 3pm,
Live on RTÉ2 and Premier Sports 1
Listening to Jacques Nienaber and Luke McGrath earlier in the week revealed an insight into Leinster’s mindset, one that focuses on embracing opportunity. Rather than look to minimise or undersell the difficulty of the task that faces the URC table toppers, the message is to relish the challenge.
Playing at altitude in an iconic venue, against opponents bolstered by nine Springboks, and a Bulls club that administered a 62-7 thrashing two years ago, reinforces the magnitude of the task. Leinster have six players from that game on duty, James Culhane, Will Connors and Tommy O’Brien, who all start, while Thomas Clarkson, Alex Soroka and Brian Deeny are named on the bench.
Jake White’s Bulls side have seven returnees Johan Grobbelaar, Ruan Vermaak, Marco van Staden, Embrose Papier, David Kriel, Harold Vorster and Keagan Johannes. The home side also won last year’s URC semi-final played in Pretoria.
What next for the provinces after the Six Nations?
That was then but Nienaber believes that despite the clatter of frontline Irish internationals that are missing, Leinster, unbeaten all season, can defy the odds; the province are nine-point underdogs, a figure that perhaps represents the fact the Bulls have lost two of their last three home matches.
Nienaber said: “They [the players] are selected because we believe they’re good enough and we believe they can get the result for us. That’s their main focus. How exciting to come to Loftus and play a team with multiple threats and international threats all over the board.
“You want to test yourself against the best and that’s what we will do. We know that we will have to be mentally and physically at our best. We must take those opportunities, it will give us a moment in the game, but we still must take those moments.
“The Bulls are a well organised, settled side with a lot of international experience and a good coaching team around them.”
Luke McGrath, who signed a contract extension during the week, leads a Leinster side that, while a little callow in experience in a few positions, contains a backbone of World Cup winners and senior Irish internationals.
The benefit of Leo Cullen’s decision to sign Jordie Barrett on a short-term contract should be revealed at Loftus where the brilliant All Black will be the senior partner in midfield alongside the hugely promising Hugh Cooney. The same tone could be struck for RG Snyman and his secondrow buddy Diarmuid Mangan, another burgeoning talent.
Jimmy O’Brien starts at fullback while wings Tommy O’Brien and Andrew Osborne will be trying to keep tabs on two out and out speed merchants in Bulls’ flyers Stravino Rocket Man Jacobs and Sebastian de Klerk. Ross Byrne and McGrath will be expected to provide nuanced guidance at halfback.
Up front Jack Boyle, fresh from winning a second cap against Italy in Rome, is about to sit an honours paper in propping when he faces Wilco Louw. Rabah Slimani, who signed a contract extension this week, has been superb for the province this season, both in his personal contributions in matches but also in helping to develop some of the younger players.
There’s plenty of football and pace in the backrow with Max Deegan switching to blindside flanker, Connors at openside and Culhane, one of three changes to the run-on side that beat Cardiff, named at number eight.
Leo Cullen has opted for a 6-2 on the bench – the Bulls have done the same – academy hooker Stephen Smyth and Ivan Soroka, set to win a second Leinster cap, his brother Alex, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny and Scott Penny forwards cavalry, while scrumhalf Fintan Gunne and Ciarán Frawley cover the back line.
Wily Willie Le Roux returns at fullback for the Bulls, who have David Kriel, a brother of Jesse and Harold Vorster in the centre. There’s plenty of grunt up front, while number eight Cameron Hanekom is a gifted athlete of whom great things are expected. Marcell Coetzee, once of Ulster, needs no further introduction.
Leinster will need to be disciplined, competitive at the breakdown to slow down opposition ball, connected in defence and cohesive and courageous in attack just to be competitive. Cullen and his coaches will know more about his players when the final whistle blows as he pulls together the personal and collective strands of the performance.
Bulls: Willie le Roux; Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Keagan Johannes, Embrose Papier; Alulutho Tshakweni, Akker van der Merwe, Wilco Louw; Ruan Vermaak, JF van Heerden; Marcell Coetzee (capt), Jannes Kirsten, Cameron Hanekom. Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Marco van Staden, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Devon Williams.
Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Hugh Cooney, Jordie Barrett, Andrew Osborne; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Jack Boyle, John McKee, Rabah Slimani; RG Snyman, Diarmuid Mangan; Max Deegan, Will Connors, James Culhane. Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Ivan Soroka, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ciarán Frawley.
Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales).
