Bulls grab dramatic late win to end Leinster's winning run

David Kriel steered a penalty between the posts from 30 metres on the left to snatch victory.

RECORD SCRATCH: Leinster suffer their first loss of the season as Bulls claim a one-point win with a penalty at the death. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile

URC: Bulls 21 Leinster 20

Leinster’s quest for a first-ever win at Loftus Versfeld goes on after they suffered an agonising defeat with the clock almost five minutes in the red.

Ross Byrne looked set to be the hero for Leinster when he landed a penalty from the left two minutes from time.

But the Bulls, despite having winger Sebastian de Klerk sent off for a reckless high tackle on Andrew Osborne, came with one final rally.

Leinster, seeking their 17th win in succession this season, won a scrum to clear their lines in the dying seconds but the South Africans piled on the pressure and won a penalty which David Kriel steered between the posts from 30 metres on the left to snatch victory.

It was a cruel outcome for an understrength Leinster side who led 10-6 at the break after a tough opening half which saw half a dozen players, some of them temporary, go off for treatment with Leinster James Culhane, Max Deegan, Ross Byrne and Andrew Osborne all suffering head knocks.

Leinster, aided by the experience of internationals RG Snyman, Jordie Barrett and Rabah Slimani, were good value for their lead and should have been further ahead.

Converted scrum-half Keaghan Johannes struggled to make an impact at out-half but he got the Bulls off the mark with a penalty from 25 metres inside two minutes.

But then he misjudged a kick from Tommy O’Brien two minutes layer which the Leinster winger then fly-kicked and collected to set up an opportunity where Deegan made ground before swift hands from Jimmy O’Brien put Barrett through for his fourth try for Leo Cullen’s men.

Ross Byrne added the conversion to lead 7-3 and he extended the lead after 18 minutes with a penalty from 25 metres. That was Leinster’s only score when the Bulls had loosehead prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the bin for a grasscutter tackle which felled Will Connors.

Scott Penny had a try ruled out 13 minutes from the break after Snyman was penalised for taking out a defender and the Bulls reduced the margin just before the interval when Johannes converted a penalty from close range.

Leinster extended their lead four minutes after the restart, carving the home defence with swift hands from right to left with Jimmy O’Brien putting Osborne through to score his sixth try in ten appearances, but the winger had to endure a lengthy review before the score was awarded as he just about kept a finger on the ball after opting to touch down with one hand rather than dive over in the corner.

Byrne landed a superb conversion from the left touchline to push the lead out to 17-6 before the South Africans though finally found a way back thanks to a penalty try which led to replacement tighthead Thomas Clarkson being binned.

That left it 17-13 to Leinster going into the final quarter but the Bulls took the lead nine minutes from time when replacement hooker Johann Grobbelaar grounded after a good drive.

The conversion from Kriel from the left came back off the woodwork and then afte de Klerk was dismissed for his reckless tackle, Byrne looked set to win it when he landed a superb penalty from 40 metres on the left.

However, Leinster were unable to close it out as their magnificent winning run was brought to an end as the Bulls scrum won the penalty which Kriel converted for a dramatic win.

Scorers: Bulls: Tries: J Grobbelaar, penalty try. Pens: K Johannes (2), D Kriel.

Leinster: Tries: J Barrett, A Osborne. Cons: R Byrne (2). Pens: Byrne (2).

Bulls: W Le Roux; S de Klerk, D Kriel, H Vorster, S Jacobs; K Johannes (D Williams 70), E Papier (Z Burger 60); A Tshakweni, A van der Merwe (J Grobbelaar 40), W Louw (M Smith 53); R Vermaak, JF van Heerden; M Coetzee (c), J Kirsten (JH Wessels 19-24, N Carr 74), C Hanekom (M van Staden 48).

Leinster: J O’Brien (Frawley 60); T O’Brien, H Cooney (Slimani 60-67), J Barrett, A Osborne (F Gunne 27-36); R Byrne (C Frawley 22-31), L McGrath (c) (Gunne 68); J Boyle (I Soroka 60), J McKee (S Smyth 48), R Slimani (T Clarkson 48); RG Snyman, D Mangan (Deeny 62); M Deegan (S Penny 9), W Connors, J Culhane (A Soroka 7, B Deeny 47-56).

Referee: B Whitehouse (WRU).