Defending champions, Leinster secured the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship final with a 20-11 win over the DHL Stormers. The final between Leinster and the Vodacom Bulls will be played on 19 June 2025 at 20:30 (SA Time) at Croke Park in Dublin.
Leinster were patient, building pressure on the Stormers' defence until a huge gap at the back allowed Rieko Ioane to stroll over. Sam Prendergast converted the try to extend Leinster’s lead to 07-00 after ten minutes of play in the first half.
Sam Prendergast converted two penalties to extend Leinster’s lead to 13-00 after 24 minutes of play in the first half.
The Stormers clawed their way back into the match and took a tap from a penalty 5 meters from Leinster’s tryline, and Adré Smith bulldozed his way over to cut Leinster’s lead to 13-05 after 28 minutes of play in the first half.
With 5 minutes to play in the first half, Jurie Matthee converted a penalty to cut Leinster’s lead to 13-08.
Jurie Matthee converted a second penalty after 13 minutes of play in the second half.
With 20 minutes to play, Leinster started to claw their way back into contention and started to dominate territory and possession; however, they could not convert their dominance into points.
Eventually, with 10 minutes to play in the first half, Jamison Gibson-Park sniped from behind a ruck to score a 25-meter try. Harry Byrne converted the try to extend Leinster’s lead to 20-11. At this stage, the Stormers were reduced to 13 players, following a red and yellow card issued against them.
The 13-man Stormers dominated the final 10 minutes, but being reduced to 13 players was just an impossible task. Leinster deservedly won 20-11.
Scorers:
Leinster Rugby: Tries: Rieko Ioane, Jamison Gibson-Park. Conversions: Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne. Penalties: Sam Prendergast (2)
DHL Stormers: Try: Adre Smith. Penalties: Jurie Matthee.
Teams:
Leinster Rugby: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jimmy O’Brien, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jamie Osborne, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris (c), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Max Deegan, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter. Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Alex Usanov, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Diarmuid Mangan, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Garry Ringrose.
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Warrick Gelant.
