Premier Sports' coverage of Friday night's United Rugby Championship final descended into chaos as the home team's mascot gatecrashed the post-match interview with head coach Leo Cullen live on air. Welsh presenter Ross Harries was interviewing Cullen following the Irish team's comprehensive 36-7 victory at Croke Park in the company of pundits Tom Shanklin, Ryan Wilson, Stephen Ferris, John Barclay and Simon Zebo when Leo the Lion made a surprise appearance.
The mascot leapt onto the back of Munster legend Zebo and began jokingly mauling him before Wilson stepped in and pretended to punch the man in costume. The light-hearted moment saw host Harries tell viewers "we've lost control" amid roaring laughter.
Cullen Reflects on Victory
“I thought that was an exceptional day out there today. It was a great way to finish the season,” Cullen said. “I thought there were so many good things in the performance today. That’s really pleasing. The staff, everybody’s worked their asses off, which is good. There’s so much good out there.”
Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jack Conan, Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne ran in tries as Leinster were crowned champions for the 10th time, going some way to healing the wound of their Heineken Champions Cup final rout by Bordeaux last month. It was a fitting farewell for wing James Lowe, who bowed out in his final appearance for the province he has served with distinction for nine years, while Sam Prendergast and Josh van der Flier produced eye-catching performances.
Injury Concerns
The only cloud over the evening was the first-half departures of Doris and O’Brien after they limped off to cause concern ahead of Ireland’s Nations Championship opener against Australia in Sydney on July 4. The Bulls have now lost in four of the last five finals and their problems in this latest defeat began after just 82 seconds when Canan Moodie was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock on and the points avalanche started.
While Doris was unsuccessfully trying to run off his injury, O’Brien pounced on a dropped ball by Handre Pollard, hacked on and touched down. Moodie’s dismal afternoon continued when he slipped as Leinster launched a line-out move, allowing Hugo Keenan to race clear with Ioane in support to finish with a sharp step inside.
It then became Willie le Roux’s turn to visit the sin bin for another deliberate knock-on and moments later Conan, who had replaced Doris, muscled over from close range for his fourth try in four URC finals. Man of the match Prendergast then rifled over a penalty to stretch the lead to 22-0 and although O’Brien joined Doris in limping off, there was no let up in intensity from Leinster as they struck again through their fly-half.
Lowe became the latest player to be shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and there were signs that the Bulls, aided by reinforcements from the bench, were starting to stir as Marcell Coetzee made a powerful run and then Moodie crossed. The uprising was soon crushed, however, when Byrne finished off good work from his pack to complete Leinster’s resounding victory.
