URC Round 13 Recap: Bulls end Leinster's perfect season run in dramatic style
Yesterday at 10:17 AM
Leinster Rugby's perfect record this season has finally come to an end in dramatic fashion. The URC league leaders looked set to extend their unbeaten streak to 13 wins, and 17 victories across all competitions when fly-half Ross Byrne slotted a long-range penaltythree minutes from time.
This gave Leinster a 20-18 lead against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria. Victory seemed certain when Leinster won a scrum with just two seconds left on the clock. However, after a reset, they were penalized for collapsing under intense pressure from the Bulls’ pack (despite the hosts being down to 14 men following Sebastian De Klerk's red card).
As the match entered the 85th minute with the clock well in ‘the red’, Bulls centre David Kriel stepped up and held his nerve, securing a 21-20 triumph with the final kick of the game. Bulls coach Jake White praised his match-winner, saying, "He's gold for us. I'm happy for him. As a goal-kicker, those kinds of moments can add scars if you miss it."
The dramatic ending at Loftus Versfeld reflected the thrilling nature of the weekend's action, with seven of the eight matches being decided by just one score.
Other Round 13 Highlights from the United Ruby Championship
At Scotstoun, Glasgow Warriors staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Munster Rugby 28-25. Trailing by 11 points with 12 minutes to go, late tries from Matt Fagerson and Nathan McBeth secured the victory for the second-placed Warriors.
Glasgow coach Franco Smith admitted, "We made it hard for ourselves, but we got it done. We were our own enemies for most of it, but I am really happy we could win even if it wasn't our best performance."
Meanwhile, Cardiff Rugby moved up to fifth place with a 20-17 victory over the Emirates Lions at Arms Park, surviving a late surge from the South African side. Other close contests saw Benetton Rugby edge out Edinburgh 21-18, the Hollywoodbets Sharks scrape past Zebre Parma 35-34, and Ulster Rugby pull off a late comeback to beat Dragons RFC 34-30 at Rodney Parade.
The highest-scoring thriller of the weekend came in Swansea, where Ospreys overcame Connacht Rugby 43-40 in a 12-try spectacular. The only game where the teams were separated by more than a score was in Llanelli, where DHL Stormers defeated the Scarlets 29-17.
Sheedy is Loving His Rugby with Playoff-Chasing Cardiff
Fly-half Callum Sheedy is relishing his rugby more than ever as Cardiff push for a playoff spot. His flawless place-kicking proved the difference in their 20-17 victory over the Lions, nailing all four shots at goal, including three difficult attempts.
"We've worked so hard for seven months to put ourselves in a position where we are fighting for something," said Sheedy. "The next few weeks are going to be so exciting for us as a group, and it's exactly where we want to be."
Sheedy also reflected on the tight finish against the Lions, adding, "We found ourselves fighting for our life on our line. It was an unbelievable effort from the boys."
Match of the Weekend: Ospreys 43 – 40 Connacht
Ospreys coach Mark Jones is aiming for continued upward momentum after his team moved into seventh place following their wild 12-try thriller against Connacht. Ospreys looked to be cruising at 38-14 and 43-28, but Connacht stormed back, forcing the hosts to defend desperately in the closing stages.
"It was a crazy game. We let it get out of control, but we had enough solutions to get the job done," said Jones.
Connacht assistant coach Colm Tucker echoed the sentiment, saying, "I'm sure it was a brilliant game to watch for the neutral, with outstanding tries on both sides."
Player of the Weekend: Jack Walsh (Ospreys)
USA-born, Australia-raised Jack Walsh delivered a masterclass in the Ospreys' 43-40 victory, scoring one try, assisting four more, and playing in two key positions—starting at full-back before switching to fly-half.
"He's got great feet, he's deceptively quick, and he's got a good skill set," said coach Mark Jones. "What impressed me most was his work ethic and backfield cover."
Quote of the Weekend
Dragons captain Aneurin Owen summed up the frustration of his side's 34-30 defeat to Ulster after leading 30-21 with 15 minutes to go:
"It was definitely an opportunity missed. This has been our season. We do so well, but in key moments towards the end of games, we let it slip."
What's Coming Next?
Round 14 brings more excitement, with the west Wales derby between Scarlets and an in-form Ospreys side that has lost just once in eight games under new head coach Mark Jones.
In Ireland, Connacht will host Munster in Castlebar's MacHale Park in a ground-breaking move, while league leaders Leinster continue their South African tour against the fourth-placed Sharks.
Other key fixtures include Glasgow facing the Lions, the Bulls hosting Zebre, and Benetton taking on Cardiff in a crucial clash for playoff positioning. Stay tuned for more thrilling action as the BKT URC playoff race heats up!
Quotes provided by URC Media
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