Leinster lifted their first trophy since 2021 after a convincing 32-7 BKT United Rugby Championship grand final win over the Bulls at Croke Park.
The wet weather failed to deter an attendance of 46,127 – a record for a league decider in Ireland – as Leo Cullen’s men became the first table-topping team to win the title in the URC era.
Despite Jamison Gibson-Park’s pre-match withdrawal, Leinster roared into a 19-0 half-time lead with tries from captain Jack Conan, Jordie Barrett and Josh van der Flier.
Beaten finalists in 2022 and 2024, the Bulls crossed in the 50th minute through replacement Akker van der Merwe to cancel out a Sam Prendergast penalty.
Prendergast took his haul to 10 points and replacement Fintan Gunne’s closing try was fittingly converted by the Gloucester-bound Ross Byrne.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports News’ Eleanor Roper breaks down what the Lions tour schedule is going to look like.
Conan pointed the way for the hosts with a fifth-minute try, crashing over following an initial maul and Prendergast quickly converted.
Departing All Black Barrett got his right boot to Luke McGrath’s deft dink in the 13th minute, opening up the Bulls’ back-field to brilliantly score beside the posts.
Van der Flier emerged through a maul to make it 19-0, as penalties continued to prove costly for the Bulls.
The South Africans finally got some momentum, battering away before Willie le Roux was guilty of a poor kick and then a forward pass.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Take a look back at the most iconic moments from the past 25 years of the Lions Tour.
Although Prendergast opened the second-half scoring, the visitors hit back when Van der Merwe drove over for Johan Goosen to convert.
It remained 22-7 with the Irish province failing to capitalise on a tap penalty, while Prendergast pushed another one wide.
The young fly-half was back on target in the 67th minute and Gunne then scored from a neat wraparound move – a fine finish to the campaign for Leinster’s 12 British and Irish Lions representatives.
British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Watch the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia exclusively live on Sky Sports this summer.
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.
