URC GRAND FINAL 2025 – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
URC GRAND FINAL 2025. 1st time finalists Leinster against 3rd time finalists the Bulls. One will become a first time winner at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday. All you need to know about the Big Dance.
URC GRAND FINAL 2025
- A new BKT URC winner will be crowned
- Fourth different winner in four seasons
- First URC final outside of South Africa
- Third consecutive cross-hemisphere final
View this post on Instagram
Croke Park – First-ever rugby final at Croke Park – Leinster have a 100% win record at the venue (4/4) – Only previous South African team to play at Croke Park: Springboks (lost 15-10 to Ireland, Nov 2009)
URC HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Leinster: 8-time league champions (URC Preceding format of Pro12 and Pro14) , most recently in 2021 (beat Munster 16–6 in PRO14 final)
- Bulls: SA’s most successful team in terms of finals appearances, (3 Super Rugby titles, 25 Currie Cups)
Leinster Notes: – Last trophy: 2021 (beat Munster in PRO14 final) – RG Snyman: URC Players’ Player of the Season – 12 British & Irish Lions selections – Snyman & Jamie Osborne in URC Elite XV – Record vs Bulls: Played 6 | Won 2 | Lost 4 | Points For: 151 | Against: 152
Vodacom Bulls Notes: – Two-time URC Grand Finalists: Lost 2022 (Stormers), 2024 (Glasgow) – Key Players: Willie Le Roux, Canan Moodie, Marcell Coetzee, Cameron Hanekom (injured) – URC Elite XV: Hanekom, Wessels, Louw – Record vs Leinster: Played 6 | Won 4 | Lost 2 | Points For: 152 | Against: 151
MATCH STATS
Leinster: – Gainline success: 45.1% (1st) – Tries/game: 4.5 (1st) – Offloads/game: 11.9 (2nd) – Most successful 22m entries/game: 6.9 – Points per 22m entry: 2.4 (2nd) – Fewest entries conceded: 8.2 – Turnovers won: 144 (1st) – Tackle turnovers: 31 – Lineout steals: 33 (1st) – Jackals: 64 (2nd)
Vodacom Bulls: – Scrum penalties won (own feed): 47 (1st) – Against the feed: 15 (1st) – Scrum success rate: 94.7% (3rd) – Metres per carry: 3.7 (1st) – Gainline success: 44.5% (3rd) – Canan Moodie: 9 tries (joint-top), 734m carried, 14 line breaks
PERFORMANCE STATS SNAPSHOT
| Category | Leinster | Bulls |
| Points Scored | 606 (2nd) | 607 (1st) |
| Points 1st Half | 323 (1st) | 313 (2nd) |
| Points 2nd Half | 289 (2nd) | 289 (1st) |
| Tries/Game | 4.5 (1st) | 4.0 (2nd) |
| 22m Entries/Game | 12.2 (1st) | 11.4 (3rd) |
| Points/22m Entry | 2.4 (=2nd) | 2.4 (=2nd) |
| Kicks/Game | 28.5 (1st) | 28.0 (3rd) |
| Contestable Kicks/Game | 7.0 (=4th) | 7.0 (=4th) |
| Retained Kicks/Game | 4.3 (3rd) | 3.9 (5th) |
KEY PLAYERS
Top Carries: 1. Embrose Papier (Bulls) – 733 2. Luke McGrath (Leinster) – 657
Top Offloads: 1. RG Snyman (Leinster) – 43 2. Cameron Hanekom (Bulls) – 27
Top Metres Gained: 1. Canan Moodie (Bulls) – 730 2. Jamie Osborne (Leinster) – 709
Try Assists: 1. Cameron Hanekom (Bulls) – 39 2. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) – 10
Defenders Beaten: 1. Canan Moodie (Bulls) – 19 2. Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls) – 18
Turnovers Won: 1. Cameron Hanekom (Bulls) – 65 2. Jack Conan (Leinster) – 60
Tackles Made: 1. Cameron Hanekom (Bulls) – 173 2. Scott Penny (Leinster) – 163
Lineout Throws Won: 1. Johann Grobbelaar (Bulls) – 137 2. Akker van der Merwe (Bulls) – 111
Lineout Steals: 1. JF van Heerden (Bulls) – 6 2. RG Snyman (Leinster) – 6
Points Scored: 1. David Kriel (Bulls) – 90 2. Ross Byrne (Leinster) – 78
Tries Scored: 1. Canan Moodie (Bulls) – 9 2. David Kriel (Bulls) – 8
ROUND-BY-ROUND HEAD-TO-HEAD
- Sep 2021: Leinster 31–3 Bulls
- Jun 2022 (SF): Bulls 27–26 Leinster
- Apr 2023: Bulls 62–7 Leinster
- Mar 2024: Leinster 47–14 Bulls
- Jun 2024 (SF): Bulls 25–20 Leinster
- Mar 2025: Bulls 21–20 Leinster
TEAM FORM – LAST 6 MATCHES
Leinster: – W Ulster 41–17 – L Scarlets 22–35 – W Zebre 76–5 – W Glasgow 13–5 – W Scarlets 33–21 – W Glasgow 37–19
Vodacom Bulls: – W Munster 16–13 – W Glasgow 26–19 – W Cardiff 45–21 – W Dragons 55–15 – W Edinburgh 42–33 – W Sharks 25–13
MATCH OFFICIALS
- Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
- Assistant Referees: Mike Adamson & Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
- TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
- Note: No Irish or SA officials (neutrality policy)
GRAND FINAL BACKGROUND
- First rugby final at Croke Park
- Bulls could become first South African URC champions
- Leinster chasing redemption after years of near-misses
ATTENDANCE HISTORY
Top destination finals: – 2019: 47,128 – Celtic Park, Glasgow – 2018: 46,092 – Aviva Stadium, Dublin – 2017: 45,556 – Aviva Stadium, Dublin
URC-era finals (Merit-hosted): – 2022: DHL Stadium, Cape Town – 31,000 – 2023: DHL Stadium, Cape Town – 56,344 – 2024: Loftus Versfeld – 50,388
Tickets: From €20 at Ticketmaster Ireland
Stats Powered by: Oval Rugby & URC Media
You May Also Like
