Leinster successfully defended their Vodacom United Rugby Championship title with a deserved 36-7 victory (half-time 22-0) over an uncharacteristic hapless Vodacom Bulls side in the Grand Final at Croke Park in Dublin on Friday evening.
While the Irish giants saved their best for last, the same can’t be said for the visitors from Pretoria, who were strangely lethargic in the first half. Silly errors not only handed points on a plate to their hosts but also gave Leinster the big early lead they wanted as the Vodacom Bulls lost their fourth Grand Final in five seasons.
Two first-half yellow cards for deliberate knockdowns, to Canan Moodie and Willie le Roux, cost the Vodacom Bulls two tries as Leinster cleverly exploited space out wide, while the Irish province also disrupted the men from Pretoria’s lineout.
Tommy O’Brien scored when he hacked the ball ahead after Handre Pollard dropped it, and 10 minutes later Rieko Ioane crossed for a try that came from a quick lineout in midfield as the Vodacom Bulls unorganised defence saw them miss a few tackles in the build-up, and at 12-0 after 16 minutes, the hosts were firmly in control.
Jack Conan’s try and a penalty goal by Sam Prendergast on either side of the half-hour mark increased Leinster’s lead to 22-0. The Vodacom Bulls will also be first to admit their handling was not up to scratch in a game they could not afford to hand possession on a plate to their opponents.
Although they showed some good moments, the Vodacom Bulls’ first half was perfectly summed up when Handre Pollard kicked dead a penalty with time up on the clock, which meant they went into the sheds without any points.
The Vodacom Bulls started the second half with intent but lost again lost the ball – and any momentum they have built – only for Leinster to score their fourth try, by Sam Prendergast, to go 29-0 up after 47 minutes and all but seal the deal.
With their replacements called upon, the visitors slowly started finding a little bit of momentum, but resolute defence by Leinster and more unforced errors meant they had nothing to show for it, apart from a TMO decision that ruled against what would have been their first try by Harold Vorster.
It took more than an hour before Moodie finally put some points on the board for the Vodacom Bulls with a try after an attacking lineout after James Lowe was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on.
Ruan Nortje then went over but again the TMO ruled against it, saying there was a slight forward pass in the build-up, and if the Vodacom Bulls had any chance of fighting back, that was it.
Harry Byrne’s try, Leinster’s fifth, then put the cherry on top as the Vodacom Bulls had to admit they simply failed to fire any shots in Dublin.
Scorers:
Leinster 36 (22) – Tries: Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jack Conan, Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne. Conversions: Prendergast (3), Byrne. Penalty goal: Prendergast.
Vodacom Bulls 7 (0) – Try: Canan Moodie. Conversions: Handre Pollard.
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
