LEINSTER’S URC CAMPAIGN began in worrying fashion, but it ended in the most impressive style.

Their 36-7 victory over the Bulls at Croke Park was even more dominant than last season’s hammering of the South African side in the decider.

Leinster’s slow start to this season wasn’t a huge surprise, with such a huge contingent of the province’s players involved in the Lions tour to Australia last summer, as well as Ireland’s trip to Georgia and Portugal.

Even still, three losses in their opening four games, including a resounding beating at the hands of Munster in October, was cause for concern. It certainly left them with lots of ground to make up. 

That loss against Munster was at Croke Park, but Leinster’s return there on Friday evening was a far, far happier affair.

Leinster nailed nearly everything on the night. The forward pack was exceptional, laying a platform for halfbacks Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast to show their class. The rest of the Leinster backs chased and harried and passed and broke. 

It was a complete performance. Even in the area of chief pre-game concern, the scrum, Leinster were pleased with their efforts.

They were without their three leading loosehead props, the injured Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy, and Jack Boyle.

Jerry Cahir, who was still playing in the AIL and working for Vodafone at the start of this season, shone once again as the starter, while 20-year-old Alex Usanov came off the bench to show more of his promise.

As he praised the loosehead duo on Friday night, Leinster boss Leo Cullen made the point that Cahir and Usanov only made their debuts for the province a week after that painful night against Munster.

“Jerry… persistence and perseverance, I think, would sum him up,” said Cullen. “I thought he was immense.

“If you think, we sat here after Round 4, having lost three of our first four games, and Jerry and Alex Usanov ironically made their debuts the following week against Zebre, where we had six debutants that day.

“So there’s been so many great things to the season.”

When Cahir was replaced by Usanov in the second half, the Leinster fans rolled out one of the best chants of recent times.

‘Jerry, Jerry, Jerry’ in Jerry Springer fashion became an instant classic earlier this season.

Connacht fans will adopt that one next season, with 25-year-old Cahir joining Connacht ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Leinster should be OK at loosehead if Porter, Boyle, McCarthy, and Usanov stay fit, but Cahir has been a real fan favourite in this campaign.

Sam Prendergast after Leinster's win. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Whatever about that story, Cullen must also have been delighted that his Ireland internationals stepped up so resoundingly in this URC final.

Ireland forwards like Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, James Ryan, and Rónan Kelleher led the way, while Gibson-Park was as clever and decisive as always.

The performance of 23-year-old out-half Prendergast earned him the official player of the match award, and Cullen was happy for the playmaker, who found himself outside Leinster’s matchday 23 in the latter stages of their Champions Cup campaign.

“Sam’s great, and that’s what you want,” said Cullen.

“On the big days, you need players to play like big-game players, whether you’re Jerry, who’s playing in his first URC final, or Sam or your most experienced guys, Caelan, Jack [Conan], whoever that is.

“So we try to support all the players during the course of the year, and that’s important because listen, everyone has the great intentions of going out there, but they’re young men, and it’s never always going to be perfect, is it?

“With Sam, probably the moment that stands out to me most is his chase back when he goes down on that loose ball, because you look at the scoreline at the end, it looks like there’s a big gap between the two teams, but that’s not the way the game actually played out. It was not like we were 30 points better than the Bulls.

“There were moments where we were able to stop them scoring, and there was a little bit of luck involved in that and a little bit of, you know, desire, commitment to the team. And that moment is probably the one that stands out for me the most.

“There’s the moment where he takes the line on and puts in that 50:22 kick, and that’s just the sign of a great young player playing at this level.

“He’s had lots of experience now and is just getting better and better all the time.

“It’s been a great challenge with the 10s this year for us. They keep pushing each other on, and then it’s learning from the mistakes, and being better for the experience and getting better the next time you’re in the big game.

“So it’s pleasing to see Sam have a big game.”