MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

WILLIE le Roux will channel his inner Ethan Hunt when the Bulls take on a ‘Mission Impossible’ in tomorrow’s 6pm United Rugby Championship Grand Final against Leinster at Croke Park.

The fullback will be playing in his first URC title decider since joining the Bulls in 2023 after missing out due to injury on last season’s final against Glasgow Warriors, which the Bulls lost 21-16 at Loftus Versfeld.

With the back-to-back Springbok Rugby World Cup winners ’ absence being felt in a heartbreaking loss to Glasgow in a game many Bulls fans thought they should have won.

Now, the Bulls have to go out and do it tough against a Leinster side that sports the bulk of the Irish Test team and also have Springbok lock RG Snyman and All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett for extra muscle.

And despite losing a European Champions Cup semi-final to Northampton Saints at home, Leinster have klapped all 11 visiting URC teams that rocked up in Dublin to face them.

Le Roux, however, says of the Bulls being able to druk Leinster ‘n put in their backyard: “In finals it is fine margins.  Whether it is home or away, these games come down to maybe one moment, one mistake you might make, one piece of brilliance someone else does so, ja…

“They all say it’s Mission Impossible but we’ll have to wait and see on Saturday.”    

According to the 98 Test cap Bok the Bulls won’t lack motivation as they want to win tomorrow’s final for their fallen brother Cornal Hendricks who died after a heart attack on 14 May.

Le Roux explains:  “Playing for one another has gotten us to the final and we are doing the same thing that we have been doing the whole year.

“I don’t think there is a need for putting any added pressure on us. [When] we go out there, we play for our brother and our friend, Cornal, that we lost…

“We have one job to do and that is what we are focusing on. It will be a huge battle on Saturday.”