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Top-tier action awaited fans in Round 13 of the URC as the second-seeded Bulls traveled to Europe to go toe-to-toe with top dogs Leinster.
With the way Leo Cullen's lads have been dominanting this season, Jake White's boys from South Africa stood as one of the few forces who could match the Irish powerhouse.
On a brisk night in Ireland, though, the hosts made quick work of the visitors, running them out of town, 47-14. Springbok superstar Kurt-Lee Arendse's two spectacular tries eventually meant next to nothing, as Leinster captains James Ryan and Garry Ringrose led a heated charge to knock down the Bulls.
On that note, let's look at how the hosts set fire to their closest URC competitors.
Three reasons why Leinster ran the Bulls out of town in R13 | URC 2023-24
#3 Leinster established themselves in the first half
The trusted boot of flyhalf Johan Goosen saw the visitors claim an early 6-0 lead. However, the hosts drew first blood when flanker Josh van der Flier rounded off a brilliant sequence of play to hand his side the lead. But it was only in the second half when the floodgates opened wide.
Leo Cullen's men ran a wildfire on former Springbok coach Jake White's outfit, shutting them out in the second 40. The flying Irish threw a party of running rugby on their title rivals, booking seven tries en route a blowout victory.
#2 Leinster were more committed to support play than their rivals
The floodgates that were open for the hosts could be seen in their dedication to continously keeping the ball moving. The URC top seed did an impressive job of avoiding rucks after they had broken the visitors' defensive line.
By committing a lot of men around the ball in open play, Leinster ball carriers had constant support around them when taking on the back three of the Bulls, who were left scrambling for answers.
#1 The Bulls missed a lot of tackles
While coach White's men weren't punished so severely for their missed tackles in the first half, Cullen's side made sure to do just that in the second. By prioritizing ball possession, the hosts were bound to run amuck on their ill-structured rivals sooner rather than later.
The South Africans' missed tackles saw their defensive line up front mean little, as it was their back three who were often left to pick up the pieces. While that made for a lot of exciting running rugby for the home fans, it certainly didn't add to the Bulls' efforts at closing the gap to the top dogs on the URC log.
