Leinster fall to another defeat in South Africa as Bulls gain some revenge

Leinster have now conceded 74 points in their opening two URC games.

36-year-old Willie le Roux stepped off the bench for the Bulls and made an immediate impact against Leinster. Pic: ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Christiaan Kotze

URC: Bulls 39 Leinster 31 

The Bulls gained a measure of revenge for last season’s URC final defeat to Leinster at Croke Park when they came from behind at Loftus Versfeld to maintain their perfect start and ensure a second loss in a row for the champions.

But at least there was some drive and scores from Leinster this time after their horror show against the Stormers in Cape Town last week and they had chances to win it in a good second half showing but in the end came up short.

The champions have now conceded 74 points in their opening two games in South Africa and Leo Cullen will hope they can finally get their season up and running when they host the Sharks in the Aviva Stadium next weekend.

The Bulls, beaten in the URC final by Leinster last season, made it two wins from two but they were pushed all the way in the second half as Leinster finally found their groove.

Leinster knew this would be a searching test at a venue where they had not won in all three previous visits and the Bulls weren’t long in dishing out some hardship as they crossed for the opening try after just four minutes.

A neat and perfectly executed cross-kick from out-half Keagan Johannes carved open the defence for winger Sebastian de Klerk to collect on the right wing and make the line despite the best efforts of Hugh Cooney. Johannes added the conversion for the perfect start.

Loose kicking from Sam Prendergast and Jimmy O’Brien was punished as the Bulls countered hard from deep and they duly extended their lead after 15 minutes when de Klerk broke from inside his 22 and set up David Kriel to score in the right corner.

Leinster’s task got more difficult when Will Connors was binned for a clumsy high challenge on No.8 JJ Theron which could easily have been red just after Prendergast got Leinster’s first score of the season after more than 100 minutes of rugby.

Good work from Cooney and the two O’Briens, Jimmy and Tommy, finally gave Leinster some go forward ball and they actually outscored the Bulls 7-0 while Connors was in the bin, building 17 phases before Gus McCarthy tapped a penalty in front of the posts and tighthead Thomas Clarkson dived over and Prendergast tapped over the conversion to make it 12-10 ten minutes from the break.

But the Bulls began to really squeeze the Leinster scrum. Johannes added a penalty after Clarkson was pinged on a Leinster put-in and then after driving the champions’ scrum backwards, built a dozen phases off a lineout in the right corner before flanker Mpilo Gumede burst over to score a converted try which gave the Bulls a 22-10 interval advantage.

Leinster had to get the first score of the second half to have any chance and they produced it through good running with crisp passing from half-backs Luke McGrath and Prendergast putting Cooney away for a converted try.

And they struck two minutes later with a good move from deep with Prendergast putting Tommy O’Brien away and he exchanged passes with Soroka who was wide on the left touchline before sprinting through for another converted try which edged Leinster 24-22 ahead.

Ryan Baird spilled in the tackle inches short of the line after 55 minutes before 36-year-old Willie le Roux entered the game and made an immediate impact, racing through to score. David Kriel somehow missed the conversion but play resumed with a penalty to the Bulls after Tommy O’Brien was penalised for a scuffle after the score, but the South Africans were unable to make it count.

Leinster, now on top in the lineout and holding their own in the scrum, hit back and another tapped penalty yielded a converted try for replacement Scott Penny to put them 31-27 in front with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Le Roux was instrumental in the decisive score of the game, setting up Stravino Jacobs with a neat cross chip to edge them 32-31 in front eleven minutes from time.

Leinster pressed for a winner in the dying moments. Prendergast was off target with a drop goal from just inside halfway and then his pass got picked off as they tried to counter from the 22 with Kriel nabbing it to score under the posts and make it 39-31.

Play restarted with a penalty to Leinster on halfway in the final minute after some in-your-face celebrating after the try but Prendergast’s kick went right and wide.

Le Roux collected and after checking with the touch judge kicked to touch but referee Adam Jones said there was a miscommunication and awarded a lineout to Leinster but they were unable to work a score which would have given them a second bonus point.

Scorers for Bulls: Tries: D Kriel (2), S de Klerk, M Gumede, W le Roux, S Jacobs. Cons: K Johannes (2), Kriel. Pen: Johannes.

Scorers for Leinster: Tries: T Clarkson, H Cooney, T O’Brien, S Penny. Cons: S Prendergast (4). Pen: Prendergast.

BULLS: D Williams; S de Klerk, D Kriel, H Vorster (S Gans 77), S Jacobs; K Johannes (W le Roux 58), E Papier (Z Burger 32); G Steenekamp (A Tshakweni 58), J Grobbelaar (J Else 52-58), M Smith (F Kloipper 58); NJ van Rensburg, JF van Heerden (S Manjezi 63); M Coetzee (c), M Gumede, JJ Theron.

LEINSTER: J O’Brien (C Frawley 75); T O’Brien, H Cooney, R Henshaw, A Osborne; S Prendergast, L McGrath (c) (F Gunne 62); P McCarthy (J Boyle 47), G McCarthy (J McKee 59), T Clarkson (R Slimani 59); B Deeny (D Mangan 47), R Baird; A Soroka (J Culhane 10-12, 66), W Connors (S Penny 59), M Deegan.

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU).