Hello and welcome to our live coverage of today’s URC semi-final meeting of Leinster and the Stormers.

Today’s first semi-final saw the Bulls beat Glasgow 22-21 in Edinburgh. That means if Leinster win today, they’ll book a Croke Park final against the Bulls on Friday, 19 June.

We’ll bring you all the action as it happens at a wet Aviva Stadium, kick-off is at 5.30pm.

The referee today is Hollie Davidson.

It’s a very strong Leinster selection, while the Stormers are missing a few key men – including star out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Here’s how the two sides line up:

LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangan, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Garry Ringrose.

DHL STORMERS: Damian Willemse; Wandisile Simelane, Ruhan Nel (capt), Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas; Jurie Matthee, Imad Khan; Ntuthuko Mchunu, André-Hugo Venter, Neethling Fouché; Adré Smith, Connor Evans; Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos.

Replacements: JJ Kotzé, Vernon Matongo, Zachary Porthen, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Ackermann, Marcel Theunissen, Stefan Ungerer, Warrick Gelant.

KICK-OFF

2mins: Leinster 0 Stormers 0

The first scrum of the day is a Leinster put-in, and the province win a penalty after it goes down.

Sam Prendergast uses the penalty to kick into the Stormers 22. The wet conditions making things a bit tricky for the players with a greasy ball.

7mins: Leinster 0 Stormers 0

Stormers disrupt that Leinster lineout, but Leinster recover possession and win another penalty, having been pushed back to the edge of the 22.

It’s another Leinster scrum, they keep the ball and move into their phase game. Stormers hold up well and after it’s knocked on by Leinster, the South African’s clear with a kick that passes the 22.

TRY – Leinster (Ioane)

10mins: Leinster 7 Stormers 0

It’s patient play by Leinster as the Stormers hold them out, but after good work by Jimmy O’Brien and Hugo Keenan, Leinster move the ball across the posts via Sam Prendergast and Jamie Osborne to Rieko Ioane. He has a man wide but decides to go himself, slicing through two defenders to score. Prendergast converts.

14mins: Leinster 7 Stormers 0

Scrum-time again, a Stormers put-in, and it’s another messy one. The call goes against Thomas Clarkson for collapsing the scrum.

17mins: Leinster 7 Stormers 0

The Stormers don’t deal with a high ball, and Leinster counter as Gibson-Park snipes through. For a moment it looks as though he might go all the way but the Stomers get back to slow him down with a tap-tackle.

Leinster re-work the ball and attack on penalty advantage, but can’t penetrate. Good scramble by the Stormers.

Leinster decide to go for the posts.

PENALTY – Leinster (Prendergast)

19mins: Leinster 10 Stormers 0

And Prendergast splits the posts. It looked like he wanted to go for the corner at first, but Doris made the call for the three points.

The Stormers send the restart out on the full, so it’s another scrum on half-way.

21mins: Leinster 10 Stormers 0

These scrums are a mess. Davidson warns both packs that there will be sanctions if the scrums keep collapsing.

And at the second attempt… Leinster win the penalty. They attack with advantage, Ioane and Lowe link up out wide but Lowe’s pass inside only finds a Stormers player.

Back for the penalty so.

22mins: Leinster 10 Stormers 0

Andrew Porter is off, the loosehead picked up an injury in that last scrum. Alex Usanov is on for his ninth Leinster cap.

PENALTY – Leinster (Prendergast)

24mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 0

Prendergast slots his second penalty of the game from a central position. A solid start for Leinster here, with Leo Cullen’s side very much in control so far.

27mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 0

Josh van der Flier now getting some treatment on the pitch. Usanov has settled into the game by winning a good breakdown scrap on the ground.

Here’s the Ioane try:

Rieko spots the gap and he’s off 🙌#LEIvSTO #NeverLessThanEverything pic.twitter.com/Z0IpcIrKcu

— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) June 6, 2026

TRY – Stormers (Smith)

30mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 5

The Stormers go close for the first time with a break down the right, but Leinster hold them out. They move the ball across the pitch with a crossfield kick on advantage, but the play goes back for the penalty – which was awarded for offside.

The Stormers tap and go, Leinster stop the first push but at the second attempt Adré Smith goes over. Jurie Matthee misses the conversion.

34mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 5

You won’t be surprised to hear the latest scrum has required a reset.

At the second time of asking, on the Stormers put in, the South Africans keep the ball and attack across the edge of the Leinster 22. They eventually push through a gap and re-work the ball wide. The scramble D keeps the Stormers under pressure and forces the visitors into a knock-on. Leinster scrum.

PENALTY – Stormers (Matthee)

35mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 8

The Stormers win the penalty at the scrum, against Clarkson again. Stormers decide to kick their points and now it’s a five-point game.

38mins: Leinster 13 Stormers

Gibson-Park takes a penalty quick and gets Leinster moving in the Stormers 22, which ends with Prendergast chipping over the top and the Stormers collecting the ball under no pressure. Maybe the wrong decision there. Leinster will attack of the goal-line drop-out.

39mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 8

Leinster win another penalty after great work by Lowe with two fends and an offload inside. Leinster then have a free play but Ioane makes an error.

The play goes back, they tap it short and some hard carries drives Leinster under the posts, just short. I don’t know how the Stormers hold them out, and eventually Leinster move it out the back and wide, where Prendergast is gobbled up before the visitors turn the ball over and clear it down the pitch. That was a massive, massive defensive set.

HALF TIME: Leinster 13 Stormers 8

The second half is about to kick-off. There was a bit of a row in the tunnel as the two teams went in at the break. Let’s see if that bit of edge carries into the second half.

44mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 8

Scrappy start to the second period. Doris has had a bit of treatment on his leg but he’s OK. Leinster win a lineout around halfway, Prendergast goes to the skies. Keenan grabs the ball and Gibson-Park clips a lovely kick into the 22 to pin the Stormers back.

Yellow card – Stormers (Zas)

47mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 8

The Stormers down to 14 for the next 10 minutes, Leolin Zas with a deliberate knock-on as he went for an intercept. Big moment.

49mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 8

Leinster threatening in the 22 again as they look to capitalise on that yellow card. They lose the ball and scrum-half Imad Khan hits the gas. He tears up the pitch but Hugo Keenan does brilliantly to chase him down and make the tackle. Massive effort from the Leinster fullback.

As I type, Prendergast whacks a kick into Gibson-Park’s head. Sore one.

PENALTY – Stormers (Matthee)

54mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

The Stormers play off penalty advantage from another scrum – Leinster not driving straight – but knock the ball on.

They use the penalty to go for the posts again, Matthee nails his kick, and it’s a two-point game. Next score feels crucial now. Stormers have replaced their front row. Leinster have sent in Conan and Slimani for Van der Flier and Clarkson.

57mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

Prendergast is off, Harry Byrne is on. The Stormers are back to 15, having won the yellow card period 3-0.

Here’s that half-time row, courtesy of TG4.

#LEIVSTO

Rudaí ag fáil teasaí ag leath ama

Tempers flare at half time 🔥@URCOfficial @RSAIreland #URC pic.twitter.com/T4rEyeIlyp

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) June 6, 2026

62mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

A big Doris carry gets Leinster rolling in the 22. Lowe gets his hands on the ball and offloads to Gibson-Park, the Stormers look in real trouble, but Evan Roos gets in at the breakdown to turn the ball over. Another huge defensive moment from the visitors.

And Leinster then steal the resulting lineout! Osborne is off now, Ringrose on for Leinster.

66mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

Leinster are really in a game here, with the Stormers working so hard off the ball. 

Ioane adds a bit of spark as he steps inside a defender. Leinster then work the ball from right to left, and again, the Stormers win the ball back after contact and hoof in back into the Leinster half. This is breathless stuff at the moment.

67mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

A long, wild passage of play ends with Ruhan Nel kicking a 50/22. A welcome opportunity for the players to catch their breath again. We’re heading for a nervy finish here.

68mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

This is just big moment after big moment now! That Stormers lineout ends with Slimani turning the ball over for Leinster.

69mins: Leinster 13 Stormers 11

And Stormers steal the lineout! They go to the air, O’Brien can’t claim it but Deegan takes control after the first bounce.

We’re going to the TMO now to check a clearout on Ronan Kelleher by Ruan Ackermann. It didn’t look good in real time, and it doesn’t look any better on the replay. This will be a yellow card.

YELLOW CARD – Stormers (Ackermann)

That’s sloppy, and dangerous, by Ackermann at such a crucial point in the game. It’s going to be reviewed for a potential red card, but either way, the Stormers will have to see most of the end-game out with 14 men.

TRY – Leinster (Gibson-Park)

YELLOW CARD – Stormers (Moerat)

72mins: Leinster 20 Stormers 11

Is that the game? Gibson-Park slips through, steps the last defender and after being tackled, has enough to get the ball over the line. Byrne converts from right in front of the posts.

And there’s another yellow card. Salmaan Moerat is on the ground and sticks a boot out to block Gibson-Park’s pass. Hard to know the intent in that, but Stormers down to 13 now. The first yellow has also been upgraded to a red, no suprise there.

78mins: Leinster 20 Stormers 11

Gibson-Park off, Luke McGrath on to see this one out. 

Stormers win a lineout in the Leinster half and earn some ground with their maul. They try to move it across the pitch, and a chip in behind has Leinster scrambling, but McGrath is on hand to clean it up.

FULL TIME: Leinster 20 Stormers 11

Well, that was hard work but Leinster get over the line against a stubborn Stormers team.

Leo Cullen’s team will now defend their URC title against the Bulls in the final at Croke Park on Friday, 19 June – a repeat of last year’s decider. 

Thanks for joining our live coverage. We’ll have Murray Kinsella’s match report on The 42 shortly with reaction to follow across the evening. 

Until next time, slán!