Leinster’s crisis deepened at Loftus Versfeld as they suffered a second consecutive defeat to open their United Rugby Championship campaign, going down 39-31 to the Bulls in a pulsating 10-try thriller that swung dramatically between the sides before the hosts struck twice in the closing stages. For the first time since 2003, the defending champions began their season with back-to-back losses, and their record in Pretoria now stands at four defeats from four visits to this altitude fortress.
Key moments
4′ – Sebastian de Klerk try after Harold Vorster break and Keagan Johannes cross-kick, Keagan Johannes converts (7-0)
16′ – David Kriel try following Sebastian de Klerk counter-attack, Keagan Johannes misses conversion (12-0)
20′ – Sam Prendergast penalty goal (12-3)
21′ – Will Connors yellow card for head contact on JJ Theron
30′ – Thomas Clarkson try from close range, Sam Prendergast converts (12-10)
36′ – Keagan Johannes penalty goal after scrum penalty (15-10)
40+1′ – Mpilo Gumede try from driving play, Keagan Johannes converts (22-10)
Half-time: Bulls 22-10 Leinster
44′ – Hugh Cooney try after sustained pressure, Sam Prendergast converts (22-17)
46′ – Tommy O’Brien try from length-of-field move, Sam Prendergast converts (22-24)
55′ – Ryan Baird disallowed try following knock-on
58′ – Willie le Roux try from counter-attack, David Kriel misses conversion (27-24)
66′ – Scott Penny try after sustained pressure, Sam Prendergast converts (27-31)
69′ – Stravino Jacobs try from Willie le Roux cross-kick, David Kriel misses conversion (32-31)
77′ – Sam Prendergast drop goal attempt from halfway drifts wide
78′ – David Kriel intercept try, David Kriel converts (39-31)
79′ – Sam Prendergast penalty attempt from halfway drifts wide
Full-time: Bulls 39-31 Leinster
On a perfect evening in the South African capital – around 20 degrees with barely a breath of wind as the sun set over the highveld – this rematch of last season’s URC final produced a spectacle that belied Leinster’s difficult week. Trailing 22-10 at the interval after a disjointed first-half performance, Leo Cullen’s side produced a stirring fightback to lead 31-27 with 14 minutes remaining, only for the Bulls to deliver two devastating blows through Stravino Jacobs and David Kriel that sealed a bonus-point victory before 6,397 spectators.
Kriel’s 78th-minute intercept try, his second of the match, proved the decisive score as Leinster desperately chased not just victory but the losing bonus point that would have offered scant consolation. Sam Prendergast’s missed drop goal from halfway and subsequent penalty attempt in the dying moments epitomised a night when fine margins separated ambition from achievement. The defeat, following the previous weekend’s humbling 35-0 loss to the Stormers, leaves Cullen’s side winless from two matches and facing serious questions about their early-season form.
The Bulls began with attacking intent that had characterised their 53-40 opening-round victory over the Ospreys. Within four minutes, they had manufactured the opening score through a move of precision and execution. Harold Vorster picked and went at a ruck in midfield, creating quick ball for fly-half Keagan Johannes. The pivot’s pinpoint cross-kick found Sebastian de Klerk in acres of space ahead of Andrew Osborne, and the winger required no invitation to dot down in the corner. Johannes added a superb touchline conversion to give the hosts a 7-0 lead and establish early momentum.
Leinster’s response showed glimpses of quality without producing points. They claimed the first lineout through Gus McCarthy, with Robbie Henshaw grabbing possession to set in motion a fluid move that ended with Will Connors losing his feet into touch. A rapid counter by Stravino Jacobs served as a warning of what could happen if the game became loose, but Leinster appeared to be settling. Hugh Cooney’s textbook tackle, Alex Soroka’s competition at the lineout and Osborne’s retrieval of a high ball suggested growing confidence.
However, the Bulls’ second try arrived in the 16th minute and showcased their counter-attacking threat from deep positions. Prendergast’s clearance kick was run back from inside the Bulls 22 by de Klerk, who demonstrated electrifying pace to round a couple of defenders before cutting back inside and releasing Kriel. The centre had a clear run-in to score, though Johannes’s conversion drifted wide, leaving the Bulls 12-0 ahead.
Leinster finally opened their account for the season when the Bulls defence strayed offside on 20 minutes. Prendergast opted for a shot at goal from a good 35 metres but in front of the posts, and the young fly-half calmly slotted the penalty to make it 12-3. The visitors’ momentum was immediately checked, however, when Connors crashed into JJ Theron in midfield, making head-on-head contact. Referee Adam Jones consulted TMO Gianluca Gnecchi and produced a yellow card in the 21st minute. A bunker review later confirmed the decision would remain yellow rather than be upgraded to red, despite the high degree of danger, due to mitigation factors.
Down to 14 men, Leinster demonstrated admirable character during the sin-bin period. The decision to play keep-ball and slow the pace proved astute, with McGrath and Prendergast making smart decisions. Suddenly, passes began to stick as Jimmy O’Brien, Tommy O’Brien and Cooney moved onto the ball with purpose. When they earned a five-metre penalty on 29 minutes, McCarthy tapped quickly and set up a ruck. Max Deegan’s deceptive hands proved the key, releasing Thomas Clarkson on the run, and the Ireland prop powered over for Leinster’s first try of the season. Prendergast’s conversion made it 12-10 after 30 minutes, bringing the visitors right back into contention despite their numerical disadvantage.
The Bulls stopped the bleeding when they earned a scrum penalty on 36 minutes. Clarkson was penalised at the put-in, and Johannes punished the infringement with a well-struck penalty from distance to extend the Bulls’ advantage to 15-10. Soroka added another turnover to his excellent lineout work, but Henshaw’s idea to kick long was slightly overcooked, and the Bulls maintained territorial advantage.
As half-time approached, the hosts earned another scrum penalty and kicked to the corner for what would be the final play of the half. McGrath ran the ball into touch just seven metres from the tryline, and the Bulls forwards kept possession tight through multiple phases. Though Leinster almost turned it over, they ran out of defenders under the posts and flanker Gumede picked and dived over. Johannes added the conversion, and the Bulls led 22-10 at the interval.
First-half statistics revealed the Bulls had enjoyed 58% territory whilst possession was evenly split at 50-50. Leinster had shown patches of quality but lacked the fluency that has become their hallmark. Pre-match, Cullen had acknowledged the scale of the challenge: “Contact area will be a big thing. We were a second slower to Stormers in everything last week. We know we’ve a tough challenge.” His side would need to start the second half with intensity if they hoped to work their way back into the contest.
The visitors exploded out of the blocks after the restart. Within three minutes, Grobbelaar knocked on in the Leinster 22, and the champions launched a devastating counter-attack. The nimble work of McGrath and Prendergast delivered a lineout deep inside the Bulls 22. When the forwards stalled, the half-backs orchestrated the decisive moment, with Prendergast picking out Cooney for a smart finish as the centre scored his first senior try close to the posts. Prendergast’s conversion made it 22-17, and suddenly belief surged through the Leinster ranks.
Two minutes later, they delivered a try of breathtaking quality. Starting deep inside their own half, Leinster worked through approximately 10 phases with Soroka, Deegan and Jimmy O’Brien all involved in the build-up. Deegan’s arrival on the right opened space, and Prendergast’s masterful decision-making released Tommy O’Brien to blast over on the left wing. The fly-half’s conversion catapulted Leinster in front for the first time in the match, as they held a 24-22 lead after 46 minutes.
Leinster continued to attack with intent. Tommy O’Brien proved a pest under the high ball, Soroka snared Devon Williams in possession, and when the ball came loose, O’Brien intercepted and poked it inside the 22. The Bulls survived that scare, and when they fumbled possession again, Jimmy O’Brien tickled a kick behind to force a five-metre scrum out of de Klerk. Leinster had taken charge of the scrum battle, churning out a penalty that led to another tap-and-go move. Ryan Baird appeared to burrow over close to the posts with help from Soroka, but TMO Gnecchi confirmed the ball was knocked on as he crossed the line, and the Bulls restarted with a 22 dropout.
The Bulls’ response showcased their own attacking prowess and the impact of experience off the bench. When Clarkson hacked ahead in the 58th minute, Kriel cleaned up superbly at the back and led a breakaway. Willie le Roux, the 36-year-old two-time World Cup winner introduced as a replacement, broke the line on the counter-attack and exchanged passes with Devon Williams before winning a race against Prendergast to the tryline for the bonus-point try. Kriel’s conversion attempt failed, but the Bulls led 27-24, and the contest remained finely balanced.
Leinster refused to yield. John McKee rescued two loose balls on the floor after his introduction from the bench, Jack Boyle grabbed another turnover, and the visitors came accurately up the left for Osborne’s grubber to eke a five-metre scrum out of le Roux. There was patience from close quarters, with McKee setting the tone. After successive scrum penalties, Leinster opted to pack down before tapping and hammering at the Bulls line. Scott Penny eventually forced his way over on 66 minutes, and Prendergast’s extras put Leinster 31-27 ahead with just over 13 minutes remaining.
Johan Ackermann’s Bulls, who had been three-time URC finalists and knew what was required in pressure moments, found another gear. After Cooney failed to gather the high restart, the Bulls won a scrum and launched another attack. Two precise cross-kicks unlocked the Leinster defence – de Klerk gathering the first in the corner before being stopped, then le Roux spotting space on the far side for Jacobs to gather comfortably and score. Kriel’s conversion drifted wide, but the Bulls led 32-31 with 11 minutes remaining, setting up a dramatic finale.
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The altitude was beginning to tell on both sides as the match entered its closing stages. Prendergast attempted a brave drop goal from halfway in the 77th minute that had the distance but whistled left of the posts. With time running out and Leinster chasing the game, they moved the ball desperately in search of a match-winning score. However, Prendergast, under pressure deep in his own half, took too much time at a ruck and his pass was picked off by Kriel. The centre sprinted 60 metres to score his second try and added the conversion to make it 39-31 with two minutes remaining.
Leinster had one final chance to secure a losing bonus point that would have offered minimal consolation. After the restart, they were awarded a penalty from halfway for unsportsmanlike conduct – one of the Bulls players had “patted 14 on the back” whilst celebrating Kriel’s try. Prendergast’s penalty attempt from 50 metres drifted wide, and when the Bulls kicked out thinking the game was over, there was confusion as assistant referee AJ Jacobs told le Roux time was up, only for referee Jones to overrule him and say there were still six seconds on the clock. Hooker McKee was driven into touch after one last lineout, and Jones blew for full-time, confirming the Bulls’ bonus-point victory.
Post-match, Cullen was candid in his assessment: “Credit to the Bulls, they were more clinical probably in some of the opportunities that they took than we did. They deserved to win and we’ll move on, lick our wounds.” The Leinster head coach acknowledged the magnitude of losing consecutive matches at the start of a season: “It’s unbelievably tough place to come here, as we know. But frustrated, yeah, it sort of feels like one that got away. [We] had some chances and we had like a losing bonus point where we’re going for the win and giving that up as well just felt a bit of a kick in the teeth at the end.”
Despite the disappointment, Cullen identified positive aspects: “Overall, there’s a much better, improved performance on last week but a long way to come for one point, but it is a point and we’ll move on. There was plenty of good stuff in the game. Just need to keep at it now. It’s a tough challenge.”
Regarding team selection and the challenge of integrating players returning from summer commitments, Cullen noted: “We knew coming away here, first off, a lot of guys haven’t played any games in pre-season. But it is what it is. We’re up and running now. You see someone like a Tom Clarkson coming in for his first game. So, with a few other guys, the Lions crew, coming back, it’s a mix over the next few weeks.”
On Prendergast’s attempted drop goal, Cullen backed his young fly-half’s decision-making: “I thought it was a good decision at the time. There was still time on the clock as well after that. So, yeah, there were so many different moments in the game there that we were very, very close to nailing. I thought Sam was excellent and lots of good stuff in the game. But he’s a young man. He’s learning on the go. [It’s a] tough challenge, tough environment over here to play in. But he’ll be better for it, like all our young guys.”
The Bulls’ attack proved exceptional when it clicked, with six tries showcasing the ambition that makes them so dangerous at altitude. Their counter-attacking threat, led by the electric de Klerk and orchestrated by Johannes and the experienced le Roux, repeatedly troubled Leinster’s defence. However, defensive lapses that saw them concede 31 points and 71 points across two matches will concern Ackermann, even if masked by their 92 points scored.
For Leinster, individual performances from Soroka, Prendergast, and the O’Brien cousins offered encouragement, but collective errors at crucial moments undermined their efforts. The yellow card to Connors disrupted their defensive structure early, whilst handling errors and missed tackles allowed the Bulls to exploit space. Cullen had made seven changes from the previous week’s loss to the Stormers, with Clarkson making his first start of the season and Paddy McCarthy his first Leinster start, but the reshuffled side lacked cohesion when it mattered most.
The statistics told the story of a game that could have swung either way. Leinster had battled back from 12 points down at half-time to lead in the second half, demonstrating character and attacking intent. Yet their inability to close out the match when ahead, combined with defensive lapses, highlighted fundamental issues requiring urgent attention.
Leinster have not lost successive Championship fixtures since April 2024, and their record in Pretoria – four defeats from four visits – underlines the challenge of winning at altitude against one of the URC’s most consistent performers. The Bulls have now won their last eight fixtures at Loftus Versfeld, and this victory, secured with a bonus point, represents an excellent start to their campaign as they sit atop the table with 10 points from two matches.
For Cullen’s side, the crisis deepens. Beginning a season with back-to-back defeats for the first time in over two decades raises serious questions about preparation, selection and approach. With several internationals and British & Irish Lions still working their way back after the summer, Leinster’s early-season struggles may be understandable, but they remain deeply concerning. Looking ahead to hosting the Sharks next weekend, Cullen noted: “Sharks, obviously, are already two games into their tour. I’m sure they’ll get maybe potentially a few of their Springbok guys back as well. We’ve got to travel back, so we’ll have a short week in terms of prep-wise. But it’s a great challenge, isn’t it. That’s the amazing part about this competition.”
The need for a victory in Round 3 becomes paramount as they seek to salvage a campaign that has begun in the worst possible fashion. A Round 4 clash with Munster – who won their opening two games – at Croke Park on 18 October looms large on the horizon.
The Bulls, meanwhile, will travel to Ireland with confidence for a three-week tour, potentially welcoming back some of their Springboks. Their attacking rugby, delivered in perfect conditions, provided superb entertainment and suggested they will be serious contenders once again. That they could absorb Leinster’s best punches and still deliver knockout blows of their own speaks to their quality and resilience under Ackermann’s guidance.
Vodacom Bulls: Devon Williams; Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Harold Vorster (Stedman Gans 76), Stravino Jacobs; Keagan Johannes (Willie le Roux 56), Embrose Papier (Zak Burger 31); Gerhard Steenekamp (Alulutho Tshakweni 56), Johan Grobbelaar (Juann Else 51-58), Mornay Smith (Francois Klopper 56); Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, JF van Heerden (Sintu Manjezi 62); Marcell Coetzee (capt) (Nama Xaba 58), Mpilo Gumede, JJ Theron (Nama Xaba 21-34)
Leinster Rugby: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Hugh Cooney, Robbie Henshaw, Andrew Osborne (Ciarán Frawley 69); Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath (capt) (Fintan Gunne 61); Paddy McCarthy (Jack Boyle 44), Gus McCarthy (John McKee 58), Thomas Clarkson (Rabah Slimani 58); Brian Deeny (Diarmuid Mangan 44), Ryan Baird; Alex Soroka (James Culhane 9-12, 65), Will Connors (Scott Penny 58), Max Deegan
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
Assistant Referees: Sean Miller, AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
Attendance: 6,397
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