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RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'Keep the abuse coming, we don't mind' - Leo Cullen and Leinster embracing the 'outside noise'
In the last two games of Leinster's BKT United Rugby Championship title success, there's been a temperature change. Leo Cullen's side played with a hard-nosed belligerence in their semi-final win against Glasgow, and that meanness was ramped up further in Saturday's emphatic grand final win against the Bulls. One of the great weekly press conference cliches is that teams don't listen to what they call the "outside noise", and focus only on themselves. These last few weeks have been decent proof that the outside noise is there to be heard. After the semi-final victory against Glasgow, Joe McCarthy and Jack Conan's comments made it clear this Leinster group had started to use the criticism of their recent performances as fuel. If this is how they play when they feel slighted, maybe they should lean into it more often. If McCarthy's words are true, and so many people hate his team, why not embrace being the villain? "Keep the abuse coming, we don't mind. Thick skins," Leo Cullen (below) said at Croke Park on Saturday evening, after the 32-7 win against the Bulls. Having suffered three final defeats and four semi-final defeats since their last trophy in 2021, Saturday's final against the Bulls was billed as one Leinster simply could not afford to lose, given their abundance of Irish international talent, not to mention their trio of world class foreign imports. And although the squad had looked weighed down by the pressure to deliver in the weeks following their Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton, they looked a team reborn in their final two outings. "The guys are delighted there in the dressing room. It's just enjoying the occasion now. I'm talking to some of the Bulls guys there at the end and they just watched the trophy lift, that's what I tried to get across yesterday [about the feeling of losing]. "They are the two best teams in the competition, we've lost in different ways, at the death, after extra time, you've just got to keep putting ourselves in that position and keep pushing the boundaries of what we do, you get criticism when you lose, it still doesn't take away what - personally speaking - I love doing. "Pressure is great, it's part and parcel of sport. It's a great way to feel alive, we're lucky to be involved in it." On Saturday, they bullied the South Africans in multiple ways across the 80 minutes. The opening quarter was played at a frenzied pace which the Bulls couldn't sustain, and Jake White's side could hardly touch the ball. By the 27th minute Leinster had scored 19 points, and the Bulls had registered just 13 carries. After dominating them with the ball in that first 27 minutes, they then spent the next 13 dominating them without it. The Bulls launched two big attacks on the Leinster 22 before half time, the first ending with a limp crossfield kick from Willie le Roux falling into the hands of Sam Prendergast, and the second finished with a forward pass – again by Le Roux – after the Bulls had gone backwards 15 metres over the length of 15 phases. As clinical as the three tries in the opening quarter were, those defensive stands epitomised everything that was good about Leinster on Saturday, and Jack Conan says that energy and aggression was inspired by the words of their opposition head coach, Jake White. "They came out with a lot of stuff in the media during the week about 'it's Ireland versus the Bulls'," the Leinster captain said. "So we said, 'Right, let's not disappoint them, let's be at our best, let's give them Irish rugby' and I thought we did that. "It was incredibly tough, I was wrecked running in at half time. "The lads were unbelievable physically, lads shooting out of the line, whacking people. We spoke about wanting to make every tackle with a bit of intent, every set piece to lay down a marker and I thought the lads did that in spades. "If they got in there [for a try], it's probably a different game and then you come out in the second half and you're under a little bit of pressure, so the lads were brilliant. "You've got to love that, you've got to love those physical moments, the lift that it gives you, and says so much about where we are mentally, you know. "It was brilliant, it was a huge lift, it was nice to get 15 minutes at half time so you could properly recuperate because lads were fairly shagged after that." As has been the tradition for Leinster, Conan was joined for the trophy lift by one of the departing crew of players, with Cian Healy dragged up to share the honours in his final act as a Leinster player. The loosehead, who has now won 18 trophies in his 18-year career for Leinster and Ireland, will retire after next week's Barbarians v South Africa clash at Twickenham, and Conan says it meant a lot to share that moment with him. "For Cian, who is probably Leinster's greatest ever servant, for everything he's done. "He would hate that, I said it to him before: 'I want you to do this, I know you will say no, but please come up and lift the trophy'. "It's only fitting that someone like that, who has given their all and has done incredibly well over the years, gets his final moment with the trophy. "I'm glad he said yes because I really thought he would fight me on it. He's not one for the limelight, he doesn't want the attention.
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Imperious Leinster display puts Champions Cup disappointment firmly in rear view mirror
It took four years for Leinster to get their hands on silverware once more but the imperious manner in which they secured league title number nine on Saturday made it worth the wait for the 46,127 supporters inside GAA headquarters. This was a comprehensive URC Grand Final defeat of the Bulls that had made light of any pre-match concerns that the South Africans were primed to claim the trophy themselves and end their own hoodoo in this competition. The Champions Cup and European glory in the form of a fifth star on their jerseys may remain elusive, and their surprise semi-final defeat at home to Northampton Saints last month had given cause to believe that their 2024-25 season was on the brink of implosion. A less than stellar URC quarter-final display in victory over the Scarlets two weeks prior had strengthened that belief but Leo Cullen's side had bounced back in style seven days later with a one-side defeat of Glasgow to book a home final, the URC's first in its four-year incarnation to feature the one and two seeds from the regular season. Even the loss of influential scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park on the morning of the game did not derail Leinster, who could not have delivered a more emphatic statement of intent in the opening quarter as the rains fell on Croke Park and Bulls' hopes of winning a URC final at the third time of asking were all but extinguished. Joe McCarthy, left, and James Ryan celebrate with the trophy. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile It was a near perfect first 20 minutes from Cullen's side, Leinster laying out their stall and striking the first psychological blow by winning collisions and earning a scrum penalty at the first engagement. Most importantly they jumped out into a 14-0 lead without the Bulls laying a glove on them, the first from a five-metre lineout just six minutes in as Dan Sheehan struck from the back of a maul and captain Jack Conan finished from close range; the second a counter-attack from deep and straight up the guts that saw All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett pounce on his own kick ahead in the final game of his Dublin sabbatical. A try on 22 minutes from Josh van der Flier and a late score from academy scrum-half Fintan Gunne sealed the deal and put the tin hat on a performance that finally ticked all the boxes for Leinster, physical dominance, four tries, a perfect send off for Barrett and the Gloucester-bound Ross Byrne. For the Bulls there was only frustration. From the hand of centre Harold Vorster in the face and near to the eyes of a prone Joe McCarthy to the series of basic errors from double World Cup-winning full-back Willie le Roux, this was a day to forget for the South African powerhouse from Pretoria. Their World Cup-winning former Springboks coach Jake White had been accused of mind games when he described Leinster as the benchmark for club rugby but the lesson taught to his side suggested he may have made a decent point after all. Read More Bath end their wait for a title with narrow final win over Leicester
BBC News
14-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
United Rugby Championship Final - Build-up to Leinster v Bulls
Update: Date: 16:56 BST Title: Post Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Simon ZeboFormer Munster and Ireland winger on Premier Sports The weather conditions turn it into a territorial battle and a set-piece battle where I fancy the Bulls. Update: Date: 16:55 BST Title: Post Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Mark StrangeBBC Sport NI at Croke Park Leo the Lion has just led a thunder clap around Croke Park and the atmosphere is crackling! The weather certainly hasn't dampened anyone's spirits. Update: Date: 16:54 BST Title: 'Everyone loves to hate Leinster' Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Joe McCarthy says Leinster will be using perceived ill will as fuel in their quest for silverware today. Leo Cullen's side beat last year's champions Glasgow Warriors 37-19 at Aviva Stadium last week to book their place at Croke Park this evening. The Irish province have had a point to prove after being stunned at home by Northampton Saints in the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals as they aim to avoid a fourth consecutive season without a trophy. "We know everyone loves to hate Leinster. That definitely drives us on," lock McCarthy told RTE after the Glasgow game. "We've a great fanbase. We don't really care about the outside noise, what you guys [the media] or other people say." Read more. Update: Date: 16:52 BST Title: Post Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) They must build them differently in Potchefstroom. RG Snyman and Marcell Coetzee never overlapped at the Bulls but they hail from the same hometown in the north of South Africa. Coetzee is well known to Irish rugby fans as well, of course, after spending five seasons with Ulster and starts at number eight for the visitors. Update: Date: 16:49 BST Title: Familiar faces Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Two-time World Cup winner RG Snyman won the only club medal of his career when lifting this trophy with Munster two years ago, his association with the Bulls goes all the way back to his teenage years. The 30-year-old lock, who starts on the bench this evening, represented the Bulls all the way up to Super Rugby level. Update: Date: 16:48 BST Title: Post Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Mark StrangeBBC Sport NI at Croke Park With just over fifteen minutes until kick off, the heavens have opened here at Croke Park again. It never stopped on the way down today but had cleared up briefly. However, the grey skies have never gone away and the precipitation is going to play a big part in today's proceedings. Update: Date: 16:47 BST Title: Final times in blue Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) All Black Jordie Barrett's time with Leinster has been short and he'll be out to ensure the ending is sweet this evening. The centre has frequently been brilliant for Leo Cullen's side but he'll certainly want some silverware to show for his efforts in the northern hemisphere. Leinster will, of course, miss him next season, although his replacement isn't too bad either given his his All Black team-mate Rieko Ioane will be the next star set for a short stay in Dublin. Fly-half Ross Byrne, who is on the bench, will also have his final game for Leinster this afternoon, although Cian Healy, their most-capped ever player, is not in the 23. Update: Date: 16:46 BST Title: 'It's like playing a fully international side' Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Bulls head coach Jake White speaking on Premier Sports: "We can't be playing Ireland. "I hear Luke McGrath is in now, he's got 231 games for Leinster, 19 Test matches. That's not a bad replacement to have when you lose your scrum-half. "Add Slimani, Barrett and RG, it's like playing a fully international side. "It goes without saying that they must be favourites to beat a provincial side today." Update: Date: 16:38 BST Title: A reminder of those teams Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Ringrose, Barrett, Lowe; Prendergast, McGrath; Porter, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Ryan, Baird, Van der Flier, Conan (captain) Replacements: Kelleher, Boyle, Slimani, Snyman, Deegan, Gunne, R Byrne, Osborne. Bulls: Le Roux; Moodie, Kriel, Vorster, De Klerk; Goosen, Papier; Wessels, Grobbelaar, Louw, Wiese, Van Heerden, Van Staden, Nortje (captain), Coetzee. Replacements: Van der Merwe, Tshakweni, Smith, Kiersten, Carr, Burger, Johannes, Williams. Update: Date: 16:34 BST Title: Big blow for Leinster Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) There's huge news out of the Leinster camp this morning with Jamison Gibson-Park ruled out of this Croke Park contest. The scrum-half was named to start when the teams were announced on Friday but Luke McGrath will now wear the number nine jersey and Fintan Gunne on the bench. Gibson-Park joins fellow British and Irish Lions Tadhg Furlong and Hugo Keenan on the sidelines just six days before Andy Farrell's side begin their tour by playing Argentina across the city in the Aviva Stadium. Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose are back in the starting line-up, though. We'll bring you those confirmed teams in just a moment. Update: Date: 16:30 BST Title: Here we go! Content: Leinster v Bulls (17:00 BST) The United Rugby Championship all comes down to today with Leinster taking on Bulls in the final. Leo Cullen's side have been the standard-setters all season, topping the table with only two defeats from their 18 regular-season games and then seeing off Scarlets and Glasgow in the play-offs. Still, though, there's a sense that they've been off their game since their Investec Champions Cup defeat since by Northampton Saints last month. The Bulls have proven to be tough opposition in the past too - can the Irish province seal a ninth league title this evening? Stay with us to find out!
Irish Times
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Everybody loves Leinster
Sir, – Following their United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final win over Glasgow Warriors last weekend, Leinster second-row Joe McCarthy declared 'everyone loves to hate Leinster'. Post match, rugby commentator Donal Lenihan, a former Munster, Ireland and Lions great, considered McCarthy's comment 'over the top'. I agree. All true lovers of Irish rugby will rejoice if Leinster overcome the South African Bulls in Croke Park in today's URC final. Their considerable past achievements will hopefully be embellished by a long overdue win to reward the consistent brilliance which ought to be admired rather than envied. READ MORE Come on Leinster! – Yours, etc, PJ MCDERMOTT, Westport, Co Mayo.
The Journal
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Journal
Will you be supporting Leinster in the URC final this weekend?
'EVERYONE LOVES TO hate Leinster,' according to the province's second-row Joe McCarthy, who was speaking after the club's semi-final victory over Glasgow last week. After a string of trophyless seasons, Ireland's most successful rugby club has come in for a fair share of criticism from fans, but there has also been plenty of shadenfreude from rugby fans outside of the 12 counties. Munster and Ireland legend Donal Lenihan disagrees though. Advertisement 'I think saying everybody hates Leinster is a little bit over the top,' he told RTÉ. 'I think this boils down to the quality of the Leinster squad and what they've achieved over the past 4 years.' This Saturday, Leinster will face off against the Bulls from South Africa at Croke Park in the final of the United Rugby Championship. Both clubs all looking to win their first URC title since the competition was revamped in 2021. So, today we want to know: Will you be supporting Leinster in the URC final this weekend? Poll Results: Yes, I'm a Leinster supporter (446) Yes, and I'm not from Leinster (212) No, and I never will (144) No, I'm not interested (113) Yes, I'm a Leinster supporter Yes, and I'm not from Leinster No, and I never will No, I'm not interested Vote
