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The 'asterisk' that threatens to derail Leinster's URC title defence
By Josh Raisey
Former internationals Schalk Brits and Ryan Wilson have tipped the Bulls to get over the line this season in the United Rugby Championship after finishing runners-up in last two seasons, citing the arrival of new head coach Johan Ackermann and World Cup winner Handre Pollard as the decisive factors.
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While former Stormers, Lions and Bulls hooker Brits believes reigning champions Leinster have the strongest squad in the competition, he believes – or hopes – that the added experience the Pretoria-based side have gained from Springboks Pollard and Jan Serfontein will make the difference.
Former Glasgow Warriors flanker Ryan Wilson was slightly more confident that the South African outfit could do it when speaking to the media ahead of the new URC season, which begins this weekend with the Stormers hosting Leinster in Cape Town.
However, in order for Bulls to to win their maiden URC title after reaching the final in three of the four years, he believes they need to host the final at Loftus Versfeld.
“I think the Bulls can do it this year,” the ex-Scotland back-row said. “I think with the changing of their coach. They need to make sure that final’s back at home, I know it didn’t work out for those boys a couple years ago, but if they can find a way to kick on from what they’ve done over the last few years, surely, surely they’ve got to make it to a final. If they did have players like Cameron Hanekom and Elrigh Louw, it could have been a different story.”
Brits added: “For me, personally, I think in South Africa, Leinster have got the best squad. With a new coach at the Bulls, I think Ackers is unbelievable how he brings a group together. They’ve got the experience, they’ve they’ve got some great players coming in – old guys that were Bulls players like young Jan Serfontein and Handre Pollard. So, for me, personally, I would love to see a different winner, and so after three finals, losing on all three, hopefully they’ll bring it home.”
For former Ulster and Ireland centre Darren Cave, he believes Leinster will be too strong to fail in their title defence, believing they have enough to ensure they get home advantage for the play-offs at the end of the season.
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Cave did caveat what he said with the “asterisk” that a season after a British & Irish Lions tour is always “tricky”. For a team that offered 14 players to the Lions in the summer, Leinster will undoubtedly be hit hardest.
“It always pains me at this time of year, because for the last three or four years, it’s been the same, and I don’t see it changing any time soon,” the Ulsterman said.
“I just think that across the the season, I just don’t see Leinster losing enough games to not carry home advantage into the knockouts. They’re totally beatable, but I would always make Leinster favourites at home. Therefore, if you were saying gun to my head, the most likely series of events is that Leinster get a home final and then somebody has to come to Dublin and win, which can be done, and it has been done.
“With a little asterisk just to say that post-Lions seasons are tricky. Very, very disruptive, a big come down, those players in Ireland are very well managed, they won’t be back playing, and they’ll be away in November and there’s a lot of Champions Cup pressure on Leinster, but I still think their squad’s so big.”
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