The blue bloods of Ireland and South Africa collide in the United Rugby Championship's red letter day in Dublin on Saturday with the spectre of defeat for both too ghastly to contemplate.
Both Leinster and the Blue Bulls have suffered the blues in play-off matches over the past few seasons which has served to ramp up prematch chat about which team is under more pressure to lift the trophy.
In that regard hosts Leinster will go into the final feeling the weight of expectation more acutely.
This is their first URC final, which is only surprising until you consider they've had divided loyalties across this competition and the Champions Cup.
They have fluffed their lines in the matches that matter across both competitions over the last few years but they go into this final more unfettered.
Since their Champions Cup semifinal defeat to Northampton Saints they have had Saturday's final in their cross hairs.
The Bulls too would have had this date marked clearly on their calendar as they weighed up their prospects of winning in Dublin again.
Having drawn blanks in two previous finals they too will feel the need to mount the top step of the podium.
They however have a mountain to climb in the first final outside South Africa with Leinster fielding 12 players who have been named in the British & Irish Lions squad set to tour Australia.
As expected the Leinster team shows two changes to the starting team that beat Glasgow in the semifinal, with Garry Ringrose (centre) and Josh van der Flier (flanker) returning from injury.
The Bulls however have an enviable record against Leinster having won four of their six matches including two wins in the semifinals.
Leinster however have been an irresistible force in this season's URC.
They bossed the league stages and are unbeaten at home.
Their swarming attack in which ruck speed and always on-hand-support runners get the defence back-pedalling is hard to contain.
They breached the gainline more than other team in the URC this season and are the most likely to score after making 22m entries.
Denying them opportunity to launch in the first place is the best defence as was the case when the Bulls stunned Leinster in the 2022 URC semifinal in Dublin.
In that semifinal the Bulls deliberately did not kick the ball into touch.
By limiting the number of times Leinster could feed the line-out and thus launch from a much-used attacking platform the Bulls gave themselves a chance to get a foothold in the game.
They need to be as tactically savvy on Saturday.
The Bulls should also play to their strengths.
The Bulls' burgeoning scrum has been a major asset.
They have earned a competition high 47 scrum penalties on their own feed and this is an area of combat that can provide them traction in the game.
Tighthead prop Wilco Louw has been one of the standout forwards in the competition and he again has Johan Grobbelaar and Jan-Hendrik Wessels as front row co-conspirators.
The Bulls have made one forced change to their match-23, with Springbok flanker Marco van Staden included in the starting team with Marcell Coetzee moving to No.8 in place of the injured Cameron Hanekom.
The Bulls will go into the match as underdogs but they are no rank outsiders.
They have momentum and have earned valuable wins on the road which should stand them in good stead on Saturday.
Moreover, Leinster has a lot to live up to.
Teams
Leinster — Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan (capt), Josh van der Flier, Ryan Baird; James Ryan, Joe McCarthy; Thomas Clarkson, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter.
Substitutes: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie Osborne.
Bulls — Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje (capt), Marco van Staden; JF van Heerden, Cobus Wiese; Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Substitutes: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Nizaam Carr; Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Devon Williams.
Referee: Andrea Piardi
Assistant Referees: Mike Adamson and Sam Grove-White.
TMO: Matteo Liperini.
Kickoff: 6pm
