Isa Nacewa: James Lowe's Leinster exit will add 'extra fire in the belly' for URC Final

The stage is set for an unforgettable night of action in Dublin, as Leinster pursue back-to-back league title triumphs to end their season on a high. The Bulls are once again back in the URC Grand Final, and are out to end their final-hurdle curse, having lost their past three appearances in the showpiece match.

Adding extra depth to the pre-match narrative, is the forthcoming Leinster exit of stalwart wing James Lowe, with the Ireland international set to bid the province farewell this Friday. Lowe departs Dublin as the all-time record try scorer at Leinster, having crossed the whitewash 71 times throughout his 101 appearances for the Dubliners.

Leinster legend Isa Nacewa is a former teammate of Lowe, having watched the New Zealand born star come through the ranks since his 2017 arrival. Speaking in a URC round table ahead of this Friday's Grand Final, Nacewa believes that Lowe's upcoming exit will add more fire into the already lively Leinster squad.

“There’s more than the match on the line." Nacewa said. "Tommy O’Brien has spoken in the last week about the players that are leaving Leinster. James, in particular, and the influence he has had. Playing at Croke Park on a Friday night is special,”

“There’s always that extra fire in the belly when there’s someone as important to the club as James when he’s leaving. So there’ll be extra fire in the belly for this match for them. But it’s about containing all that emotion. James won’t want to make a big deal of it. He’ll just want to get into a stride of things, not let it be a distraction and get into the groove of what the week is and how to build for a final.

“But when there’s emotion on the line, I think it’s about keeping that clear head, but it’s still a great occasion to be at Croke Park playing a URC Grand Final.”

Lowe has agreed a move out to Japan this Summer, with the Ireland wing signing on with Tokyo Sungoliath ahead of the 2026/27 season. Lowe heads to the Japanese capital as a stunning replacement for the departing Cheslin Kolbe, as the Springboks man returns to South Africa with the Stormers. Isa Nacewa expressed how he was 'surprised' to learn that Lowe was leaving Dublin, given how pivotal he has been to Leo Cullen's side.

“It’s interesting that he doesn’t get a contract but becomes the all-time leading try-scorer for Leinster in the last game. Oh, look, he’s been absolutely superb since he landed, and we picked him up from the airport in Dublin 10 seasons ago now,” said Nacewa

“He’s helped mentor the Tommy O’Briens and the Jimmy O’Briens, had so much influence on the club, and is just a great human at the same time. But the decision’s hard. I’m not privy to any of the decisions, but you know, he’s been a weapon for Leinster and Ireland

“So was I surprised? Yeah, absolutely. Don’t know the ins and outs of what we’re on. But James has obviously made the decision that’s right for him and his family.”

Looking ahead to the Grand Final, and Nacewa cast his attention across Leinster's midfield partnership, with Jamie Osborne really coming into his own this season. The centre has formed a neat pairing with All Blacks sensation Reiko Ioane, and has kept Ireland veteran Garry Ringrose out of the starting XV.

"You see how much competition there is within the squad. The likes of Jamie Osborne are really standing up and taking an opportunity, building a pretty solid partnership with Reiko Ioane. There's been a lot of changes, but when you get that sort of cohesion within the partnerships, they can back it up in the vital games. That's been the difference, when they've really turned it on, they've grounded out wins when they've needed to, and they've played some exciting rugby when they've needed to."

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen also faces the tough task of picking his starting fly half for Friday night, with Sam Prendergast in fine form following the semi-final win over the Stormers. However, there is also a case to be made for Harry Byrne to start at 10, and whether Cullen will give Ciaran Frawley one last cap in blue, before the Connacht-bound out-half heads out West for next season.

"It's been fascinating." Nacewa said. The internal battle between the likes of Sam and Harry, and then obviously Ciaran, in his last few days in the Leinster club, so it's been an intriguing battle. They've all had ups and downs throughout the season, and that's just really healthy competition at the end of the day."

With two squads peppered with international talents, that are plenty of high-profile positional battles to keep an eye on ahead of the URC Grand Final. Nacewa picked out a marquee match-up between two of the world's best full-backs, as Ireland and South Africa's resident back-field maestros face off on Friday.

"Between Willie le Roux and Hugo Keenan, there's going to be a bit of kicking in this game, there's going to be a lot of field cover needed for both teams, and they're both outstanding world class players. So I think for me the 15 battle [is key].

"It's not always the flash stuff, there's also key tactical decisions needed by both those guys, and they're world class and always at the top of the game. Willie's got his class and always has, and when he's on every team has to watch out. Hugo's done what he needed to throughout the season, but to see those two go at it, I'm very intrigued to see how that battle plays out."

Adding to the end-of-season spectacle, is how the match will be held at Croke Park. The 82,000 capacity stadium is the spiritual home of Gaelic Football and Hurling in Ireland, with Nacewa fortunate enough to have played occassional matches for Leinster in the incredible Irish amphitheater.

Legendary Springboks lock Victor Matfield recently spoke to RUCK about how he hated his one and only away trip to Croke Park, with Nacewa sharing quite the opposite memories from his time as a home supported player.

"It's a phenomenal stadium, and a special stadium in Gaelic [games], and what the Dubs have done there. Personally, I've still got nightmares of Victor's {Matfield's] 2007 Loftus Pretoria Blue Army, it's still ringing in the back of my head, when Bryan Habana chipped all of us and ran 50 metres off the kickoff, it was deafening, but, it's very similar to the atmosphere that Croke Park creates.

"I've been lucky enough to play the semi final against Munster, and the whole stadium was set up like a chessboard. All the way through the warm up, all you see saw was a sea of red, and then late to the party, the Leinster fans came out of the pubs and joined, and it just turns into a cauldron effect. So, it's a really special stadium, and a Friday night is going to be different again, a real special place to play."

With the countdown continuing towards this blockbuster end to the URC season, Isa Nacewa was quizzed upon who will win the URC Grand Final. Whilst Matfield backed the Bulls to grind out a one-point win in the Irish capital, Nacewa backed the boys in blue for a successful title defence.

"Croke Park on a Friday night, James Lowe's last game and they're [Leinster] still hurting from the Bordeaux match [Champions Cup Final defeat]. 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, and I think that is the single-minded goal that they'll be going into this match with. So I'll take Leinster by one, one's enough!"