Leinster has received disappointing news ahead of the United Rugby Championship Grand Final against the Bulls at Croke Park in Dublin. Influential scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been ruled out of the match, forcing him to drop out of the matchday 23 entirely. The nature of his withdrawal was not disclosed by the Irish province, only mentioning that he 'has been ruled out'.
Fellow Ireland international and double Leinster centurion Luke McGrath has been included in the starting XV to take Gibson-Park's place. Academy scrum-half Fintan Gunne will be on the bench for the final. The rest of the Leinster team remains unchanged, with British and Irish Lions Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier making their return for the final.
Leinster Lineup:
- 15 Jimmy O’Brien
- 14 Tommy O’Brien
- 13 Garry Ringrose
- 12 Jordie Barrett
- 11 James Lowe
- 10 Sam Prendergast
- 9 Luke McGrath
- 8 Jack Conan
- 7 Josh van der Flier
- 6 Ryan Baird
- 5 James Ryan
- 4 Joe McCarthy
- 3 Thomas Clarkson
- 2 Dan Sheehan
- 1 Andrew Porter
The URC Final is expected to be a close match, with Leinster looking to overcome the Bulls and put an end to years of heartbreak. The teams are gearing up for a tough battle, with Springboks legend providing a brutal assessment of Leinster's mental toughness.
Teams:
Leinster (revised): 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canon Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Ruan Nortje (c), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Kick-off: 17:00 UK / 18:00 SAST
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 55th league game)
Assistants: Mike Adamson (SRU) and Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Live on: TG4, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Source: Planet Rugby
