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PREVIEW: Sharks, Stormers and Bulls fly SA flag in Champions Cup Round of 16

The Heineken Cup makes its long awaited return following the conclusion of the 2023 Guinness 6 Nations. It’s another first for the tournament as the three South African sides will make their bow in a knock-out round for the first time ever.

Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Our rugby scribe takes a look at all of the clashes involving South African teams as well as a titanic Irish derby between Leinster and Ulster.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

Saturday 1 April

Sharks 44/100 | Draw 20/1 | Munster

Handicap
Sharks (-5.5) 9/10 | Munster (+5.5) 9/10

We kick things off down in Durban where URC rivals the Sharks and Munster will square off in a winner take all affair. The hosts have endured some pretty patchy URC and Currie Cup form of late and they will be hoping the change in tournament equates to a change in fortunes. 

The South African side enjoyed a positive Heineken Cup pool phase winning three of their four matches with two of the victories coming over French side Bordeaux and the other coming at home against Harlequins, while they lost the return leg to the English side.

As noted at the start, the Natalians have been struggling in the URC losing their last three games with their latest defeat being last weekend’s 32-20 loss to Welsh outfit the Scarlets. This run of form is simply not good enough for a side loaded with so much talent. 

Munster had a tougher time of it during the pool phase of the Heineken Cup with the Irish province losing two games and winning two. They beat the Northampton Saints twice and went down to Top 14 table-toppers Toulouse in both legs. Like the Sharks, Munster also head into this one off the back of a URC defeat having gone down 36-24 to the Glasgow Warriors last weekend. 

I reckon homeground advantage swings it the way of the South Africans here. This is the perfect game to respond to their poor URC form and I can see them doing just this. 

Sharks on the minus.

Leinster 1/12 | Draw 33/1 | Ulster 7/1

Handicap
Leinster (-16.5) 9/10 | Ulster (-16.5) 9/10

The penultimate game we will take a look at is the all Irish affair between runaway URC leaders, Leinster, and their domestic foes Ulster. The sides have met twice already this season with Leinster winning both affairs. 

Leinster had a rather casual walk to the next phase of the Heineken Cup with the Irish Province’s high seeding handing them favourable ties against Racing and Gloucester, whom they took to task beating Gloucester 57-0 at the RDS and 14-49 in England, while they hammered Racing 10-42 in Paris and 36-10 in Ireland. They also head into this one off the back of solid URC form having won three of their last four games and drawn 22-22 with a solid Stormers outfit this past weekend. 

Ulster had a tougher time in the pool pahese winning two and losing two. They just scraped through to the next round by the skin of their teeth. Thye do head into this one off the back of solid URC form having won their last three games, which include a 24-31 win over the Sharks and a 32-23 win over the Bulls. 

The early handicaps being thrown about seem too high for a clash between the Irish provinces. As such, I’m leaning towards the plus here. 

Ulster plus.

Sunday 2 April

Stormers 29/100 | Draw 22/1 | Harlequins 28/10

Handicap
Stormers (-8.5) 9/10 | Quins (+8.5) 9/10

We remain in South Africa for our next fixture but travel to the most southern point of the country where the Stormers will take on Gallagher Premiership side Harlequins.

This is not the first time the English outfit has hit South African shores this term with the London based team having gone down to the Sharks at Kings Park during the pool phase. 

They managed to beat the Sharks in the return leg that was staged at the Twickenham Stoop and also registered a home win over Racing 92 and ran the Paris club close in the return fixture going down by just a solitary point. They will return to South Africa off the back of some really poor domestic form having lost four of their last five domestic fixtures, with their most recent loss being last weekend’s 36-24 defeat at the hands of Saracens in North London. 

While Harlequins have been in rather woeful form of late, the Stormers have been on a hot streak winning three of their last four fixtures, and holding Leinster to a 22-22 draw at the RDS this past weekend. 

This will be an absolute cracker of a game with the battle between the two midfields worth the price of admission alone. I’m backing the hosts to win this one by an extremely narrow margin – no more than four points. 

Quins on the plus.

Toulouse 1/16 | Bulls 15/2

Handicap
Toulouse (-17.5) 17/20 | Bulls (+17.5) 17/20

The final game we will take a look at should produce fireworks with the faltering Bulls travelling to France to take on Top 14 ladder leaders, Toulouse. 

The visitors have struggled for form of late losing their last four URC fixtures, with their latest defeat being last weekend’s 32-23 loss to Ulster. They still have a very good squad who are capable of upsetting the applecart this weekend. 

Toulouse have been one of the most impressive sides in Europe this season and sit six points clear at the summit of the Top 14 ladder. They have an insanely talented side which features dynamic French halves pairing, Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. 

In terms of their recent form, the French giants have been a bit hit and miss on the domestic front having lost two of their last four games. They were missing their international French stars due to 6 Nations fixtures during this period and they will be back to full strength this weekend.  

While I do see Toulouse winning this one with room to spare, I reckon it’ll be tighter than the handicap suggests. I’m on the hosts to keep it within the double figures margin. 

Bulls on the plus.

Rapid-fire Tips

Leicester at (-8.5) 9/10 v Edinburgh
Gloucester at (+18.5) 9/10 v La Rochelle
Montpellier at (+7.5) 9/10 v Exeter
Saracens at (-13.5) 9/10 v Ospreys

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