The Bulls were not many people's pick for a United Rugby Championship final back in midwinter. Handré Pollard intends to make that count for something at Croke Park.
Pretoria's perennial nearly-men reach the URC decider against Leinster on Friday 19 June riding an eight-game winning streak, a turnaround few foresaw when Johan Ackermann's first season as Jake White's replacement was unravelling. Earlier in the campaign the Bulls were struggling in both the URC and the Champions Cup, and the Springboks' coaching staff were brought in to assess how the club was operating.
"Let's be honest, I think in December, January, nobody really saw us in the final," Pollard said. "We believed it and we were working hard, but we also had a really tough time over that time of the season, but we really came together well. We were clear in the way we wanted to play the game and that showed in the last three, four months of the season. So, listen, it's very special."
The two-time World Cup-winning fly-half rejoined the Bulls this season after six years in France and England, so he carries none of the scar tissue from the side's three previous URC final defeats — to the Stormers in 2022, Glasgow in 2024 and Leinster last year. He sees the experience in the squad as an asset rather than a burden.
"A lot of the guys have been there before. Of course, we've had a lot of disappointment in this competition and finals, but it's a real positive," he said. "The guys have been there before, they know what to expect. Where we came from this season to be where we are is special, and we want to take our confidence into the final."
Pollard had an afternoon to forget in the semi-final, missing four kicks at goal as the Bulls came from 21-3 down to beat Glasgow 22-21 away from home. He was unsparing about it — and matter-of-fact about the reset.
"I was terrible last weekend in terms of kicking but you have those days, and you've got to be able to just put it aside and see it for what it is," he said. "I like to think maybe I've had more better days than bad days in terms of kicking in my career, so I've been there before... You just go back to your normal routine, your system that you know works for you, and you just get back on the horse."
Leinster, who hammered the Bulls 32-7 in last year's final at the same venue, start as favourites, and Pollard was quick to flag the threat posed by their Ireland half-back. Asked to name Leo Cullen's biggest weapon, he eventually settled on one.
"I'd probably say Gibson-Park's box-kicking game off nine is probably, if not the best in the world. So, that's a big factor," Pollard said, before nodding to Jacques Nienaber's defensive system. "We know their set-piece, their lineout contesting is brilliant as well. And then, of course, they've got a very aggressive defensive mindset with Jacques. So, there's threats all over."
He was equally complimentary about Leinster's out-half options, with Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne competing for the 10 jersey. "Sam is, of course, a younger guy. He's got that sort of swag around him. He plays his game with so much confidence. And Harry's just a really, really solid player," Pollard said. "Playing alongside Gibson-Park, they're very, very dangerous... it's two guys we really respect, and we're going to look after them as much as we can."
The URC confirmed that 20,000 tickets had been sold for "Grand Final Friday," with the league billing the occasion as the most accessible major sports event in Ireland. For the Bulls, who arrive with a full-strength squad packed with Springboks, the bigger prize is finally shedding the runners-up tag.
