United Rugby Championship Predictions – Round 6

After a month-long break, all four local teams will resume their campaigns on Saturday.

The Bulls and the Lions battle it out at Loftus Versfeld, the Stormers and Munster meet in a blockbuster in Limerick, and the Sharks collide with Connacht in Galway.

Ulster v Benetton

Friday, 28 November – 21:45

The early surprise package of the season, Ulster managed four wins on the trot – including beating the Bulls (28-7) and the Sharks (34-26) – before suffering their first defeat at the claws of the Lions (49-31) on the Highveld last time out.

Benetton have been borderline schizophrenic. To illustrate why I say this, they followed up a 41-15 win over the Lions with an embarrassing 43-0 loss to Edinburgh. I fully back Ulster to bounce back with some style points.  

Prediction: Ulster by 12.

Suggested Bet: Benetton +17 at 1.90.

Dragons v Leinster

Friday, 28 November – 21:45

It’s not often that you see Leinster down in seventh place, and that’s after they’ve made some headway following a poor start without their slew of internationals.

They wacked Zebre 50-26 in the previous round and will have too much class for a Dragons team who can’t buy a win. Their 19-all draw with the Ospreys last time out was their second stalemate of the season after squaring the game against the Sharks 17 a piece, and they’re in for more disappointment here.

Prediction: Leinster by 21.

Suggested Bet: Leinster -20 at 1.90.

Bulls v Lions

Saturday, 29 November – 14:00

The Jukskei derby is always special, and this one is particularly so as it’s the first with Johan Ackermann at the helm of the Bulls against his former club, who he famously transformed and guided to two consecutive Super Rugby finals.

His Bulls have been solid and sit sixth on the log. They won their two home games – against the Ospreys (53-40) and Leinster (39-31) – before going 1-2 on their European tour, which ended in a 21-12 loss to the Glasgow Warriors.

Two places behind their neighbours, the Lions have their tails up after having recovered from a winless tour with back-to-back home victories. The Pride triumphed 29-18 over the Scarlets and made a big statement with a 42-31 win over previously unbeaten Ulster.

That said, the Bulls have had the Lions’ number. The men from Pretoria have lost just one of the six meetings between them in the URC, and their 31-19 home win in the most recent clash made it four on the bounce.

Expect them to continue this streak.

Prediction: Bulls by 10.

Suggested Bet: Lions +13 at 1.90.

Zebre v Cardiff

Saturday, 29 November – 15:00

Both of these teams are in better positions than you’d think. Cardiff have made a cracking start to their campaign and enter the round in sixth position, three spots above the Italians.

Zebre have lost three straight, though, after a positive first fortnight. With the men from Parma being the favourites, the potential of a big return makes Cardiff worth backing.

Prediction: Cardiff by 2.

Suggested Bet: Cardiff at 3.25.

Edinburgh v Ospreys

Saturday, 29 November – 19:30

As two teams that find themselves in the bottom half of the table with only one win each, these outfits will be desperate for a positive outcome in this showdown in the Scottish capital.

Interestingly, both blanked their opponents in those wins, Edinburgh icing Benetton 43-0 and the Ospreys spanking Zebre 24-0. Edinburgh are 11th but they do have a game in hand over all the teams above them, bar Ulster.

The Ospreys were unable to beat the winless Dragons in the previous round, playing to a 19-all draw, so chances of an upset in this one are super slim.

Prediction: Edinburgh by 15.

Suggested Bet: Ospreys +24 at 1.90.

Munster v Stormers

Saturday, 29 November – 19:30

It’s the battle of the only two unbeaten teams left in the competition. Both have had dream starts to the season, and both are on 23 log points, with the Stormers occupying top spot due to a superior points difference.

Usually slow starters and struggling tourists, the Capetonians have flipped the script this season. The home wins over Leinster (35-0) and the Ospreys (26-10) were excellent, but the three straight dominant triumphs on tour – over the Scarlets (34-0), Zebre (31-13) and Benetton (31-16) – were even better.

While unbeaten, Munster’s home wins this season have all been close, with them edging Cardiff 23-20, Edinburgh 20-19 and Connacht 17-15. Yes, the Stormers have only beaten them once (34-19 at home last year), but the brilliant balance John Dobson’s side have shown make it worth backing them.

Prediction: Stormers by 1.

Suggested Bet: Stormers at 3.25.

Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors

Saturday, 29 November – 21:45

It’s the bottom-dwellers hosting third-placed Glasgow.

To be fair, the Scarlets have only faced big hitters, which is why they are winless, and their bad luck will continue this weekend.

Franco Smith’s Warriors turned back the Bulls 21-12 in the previous round to make it four wins out of five, and their complete game will see them coast to victory.

Prediction: Glasgow Warriors by 12.

Suggested Bet: Scarlets +14 at 1.90.

Connacht v Sharks

Saturday, 29 November – 21:45

The international break came at a bad time for the Sharks as it robbed them of an opportunity to build momentum after finally breaking their duck.

The 29-19 victory over the Scarlets wasn’t enough to save John Plumtree’s long-term future at the club, with the New Zealander set to step down as head coach at the end of the season.

Connacht haven’t been much better than the Durbanites. They’ve also only won one game and are one place above the Sharks in 12th. Crucially, however, that win came in their only home game thus far, a 26-15 triumph over Benetton first up.  

The Sharks are yet to plant their flag in usually gusty Galway, leaving winless after each of their three previous trips, and they’ve been too underwhelming and disjointed to back to change that.

Prediction: Connacht by 5.

Suggested Bet: Sharks +8 at 1.90.