As the Vodacom United Rugby Championship final approaches, the tension and excitement are palpable, especially with legends Victor Matfield and Isa Nacewa weighing in with their predictions for the epic showdown at Croke Park this Friday night.
Former Bulls and Springbok captain, Victor Matfield, has thrown his full support behind his old team. "Leinster must be the favourites, but I’m going to go with my heart. I think the Bulls are going to graft. It’s not going to be easy. They’ll have to be at their utmost best and will need to be so physical if they want to compete in this final. But I think the momentum, the belief that they’ve created in these last eight to 10 weeks is there, and the unity that they’ve got as a team is fantastic," Matfield asserts.
"Bulls by one. I’ll take a one-point win."
On the flip side, former Leinster captain Isa Nacewa brings a different perspective, focusing on the emotional and psychological state of the Leinster squad. "Croke Park, a Friday night, James Lowe’s last game and Leinster are still hurting, really hurting from the Bordeaux [Investec Champions Cup final] match. There’s a lot on the line and I think this Leinster team has almost embraced that type of pressure. It hasn’t always gone their way, but they finished the season with the URC trophy last year. I think that that is the single-minded goal that they’ll be going into this match with," Nacewa explained.
"I’ll take Leinster by one. One is enough."
The stage is set for a nail-biting final, with both teams bringing their A-game and rugby legends split on the outcome. Will the Bulls’ momentum and unity carry them to victory, or will Leinster’s resolve and experience at Croke Park see them through? One thing is for certain, whether the margin is by one point or more, this URC final is poised to be a classic.