Match Preview

A stellar cast of World Cup winners and British and Irish Lions have been named in the Leinster and Vodacom Bulls teams that will make Friday’s BKT URC Grand Final a Test match in club colours.

A total of 36 international players will line out between the two match-day squads, including 14 Ireland and Lions stars and five World Cup winners.

Headlines

Luke McGrath, James Lowe and Rieko Ioane are set to make their final appearances for Leinster
Willie le Roux and Francois Klopper will each play their 50th BKT URC match for the Vodacom Bulls. Replacements Stedman Gans and Wilco Louw are also on the cusp of 50 BKT URC caps

Line-ups

Leinster Rugby v Vodacom Bulls
Croke Park, Dublin – KO 19:30 IRE & UK / 20:30 ITA & SA

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 63rd league game)
AR1: Adam Jones (WRU) AR2: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster Rugby

Hugo Keenan, Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jerry Cahir, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (CAPT)

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Alex Usanov, Thomas Clarkson, Diarmuid Mangan, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Garry Ringrose

Vodacom Bulls

Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Handré Pollard, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (CAPT), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom

Replacements: Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Jeandre Rudolph, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Nizaam Carr

What they said

Leinster Rugby Assistant Coach Robin McBryde:
“You know they are going to come after you in the tighter aspects – the scrum, the lineout maul – so it would be foolish to look any further than that from a set piece point of view. We can’t be scared. We’ve got to meet them head-on and go for it. And that’s what we’ll do.”

Vodacom Bulls Head Coach Johan Ackermann:
“For me it’s important that we understand that it’s a privilege to be here. It’s not your right, you’re not entitled to be here. To come to work every day and call this work – it’s a great privilege. We’ve got a shot, and if you ask me, do I believe we can win? Then I’m going to say yes.”