LEINSTER v BULLS: THE FACTS

LEINSTER Rugby have

■ won their last three URC matches since their 21-22 defeat at home to Ulster on New Year's Day. That defeat is the Blues' only home loss in any competition this campaign.

Leinster have lost only

■ one of their last six encounters with South African opponents: 7-62 to today's opponents, Vodacom Bulls, in Pretoria last April.

Vodacom Bulls have won

■ their last six matches in all tournaments since the 20-26 defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town in Round 8 of the URC.

Bulls last six fixtures

■ against Irish teams were won by the home side on the day.

The Bulls only victory so

■ far on Irish soil was over Leinster at the RDS Arena in the 2022 semifinal.

(v Vodacom Bulls, Referee: Craig Evans, TG4, SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv): Jordan Larmour, Rob Russell, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Joe McCarthy, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan. Subs: Dan Sheehan, Michael Milne, Tadhg Furlong, Jason Jenkins, Caelan Doris, Jamison GibsonPark, Ross Byrne, Liam Turner

VODACOM BULLS: Willie Le Roux; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Devon Williams; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker van der Merwe, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje (co-capt), Marco van Staden, Elrigh Louw, Marcell Coetzee (co-capt). Subs: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Mpilo Gumede, Zak Burger, Chris Smith, Harold Vorster

The two sides have met on

■ three previous occasions with the Bulls having the edge by two wins to one.

Last season's away defeat

■ in South Africa, a record reverse with the Bulls posting nine tries featured a starting Leinster XV of: Cosgrave; T O'Brien, Turner, Brownlee, D Kearney; Prendergast, McCarthy; E Byrne, McElroy, Clarkson, Soroka, Deeny, Culhane, Connors, Deegan.