The Hollywoodbets Sharks, Stormers and Bulls will be looking to make amends in round 15 of the URC this weekend while the Lions will be out to back up their trouncing of Leinster last time out with a similar showing against defending champions Munster.
Friday 26 April
Ulster 1/6 | Draw 28/1 | Benetton 44/10 (20:35)
Handicap
Ulster (-12.5) 9/10 | Benetton (+12.5) 8/10
Following their 19-17 win over Cardiff, Ulster next welcome Benetton to the Kingspan looking to leapfrog the Italian outfit on the log. The hosts are 10th and locked on 39 points, with another victory in Belfast this weekend set to bump them up a place or two.
Marco Bortolami’s side (sixth on 42 points) may have a Challenge Cup semi-final date next week, but with a coveted URC play-off in sight, they can’t afford to take their eyes off the prize here. They’ll definitely take the fight to Ulster but may ultimately succumb at the Kingspan.
Verdict: Benetton (+12.5) 8/10
You feel that this handicap is a bit big, especially considering Ulster’s performance against Cardiff last time out.
Scarlets 2/1 | Draw 20/1 | Hollywoodbets Sharks 41/100 (20:35)
Handicap
Scarlets (+5.5) 17/20 | Hollywoodbets Sharks (-5.5) 17/20
Scarlets have claimed just one win from their last 11 in all competitions, with the 2017 Pro12 winners in dire straits. A chance of rain will help their cause, but they don’t have the forward firepower to match the Durbanites.
The Sharks may be fielding another second-string side ahead of next week’s Challenge Cup semi-final, but they should still have enough quality to bag what would be just their fourth URC win of the campaign.
Verdict: Hollywoodbets Sharks 41/100
You’d expect this Hollywoodbets Sharks outfit to beat arguably the worst Scarlets side in recent memory.
Saturday 27 April
Zebre 7/1 | Draw 40/1 | Glasgow Warriors 1/14 (14:00)
Handicap
Zebre (+18.5) 17/20 | Glasgow (-18.5) 17/20
The Warriors’ win over the Sharks has put them just a point behind Leinster in second, with Franco Smith continuing to get the absolute best out of his squad. Even at the Sergio Lanfranchi, Zebre won’t stop the Glaswegians from picking up a sixth URC win in succession and possibly ending the weekend at the very summit of the standings.
Verdict: Glasgow (-18.5) 17/20
The Scottish outfit have been an almost irresistible force this season. This could be a long old afternoon for the Italians.
Bulls 1/33 | Draw 35/1 | Ospreys 10/1 (15:00)
Handicap
Bulls (-20.5) 17/20 | Ospreys (+20.5) 17/20
Oh man are the Bulls making life hard for themselves. They’ve dropped to fourth following their loss to Munster at Loftus last week and need to hit back hard here against an Ospreys line-up that shocked the Stormers in the Cape in the previous round.
That 27-21 win by the Swansea side has seen them climb to seventh with the play-offs well within reach. While they’ll get more opportunities to collect wins in their final two matches against countrymen Dragons and Cardiff, they could feel the brunt of a hurting Bulls team here.
Verdict: Bulls (-20.5) 17/20
Jake White will demand a performance this week, and he should get it at altitude against the travel-weary Ospreys.
Cardiff 23/20 | Draw 25/1 | Edinburgh 72/100 (16:05)
Handicap
Cardiff (+2.5) 17/20 | Edinburgh (-2.5) 17/20
If they weren’t already, Cardiff’s two-point defeat at Ulster last time out has well and truly put them out of the play-off race. Sitting 12th, a mammoth 14 points off the top eight, Matt Sherratt’s side will have to be content with building momentum ahead of the season to come.
Sean Everitt’s troops on the other hand are eighth but level with three other clubs on 39-points. They’ll find the going tough in the Welsh capital but should sneak home given what’s at stake and the way they’ve played recently.
Verdict: Edinburgh 72/100
Get on the Scots to win on the board.
Lions 22/10 | Draw 22/1 | Munster 38/100 (19:05)
Handicap
Lions (+6.5) 17/20 | Munster (-6.5) 17/20
The Lions were terrific in their 44-12 battering of Leinster in Joburg last week and have the chance at making it a rare double over Ireland’s “big two” with Munster visiting Emirates Airline Park on Saturday. Given their form and the fact that they’re 11th, level with Ulster, Connacht and Edinburgh on 39-points, back the hosts to come out guns blazing for this one.
Munster are themselves riding a wave after that superb defeat of the Bulls at Loftus but may find it too much of a stretch recovering in time to face a highly motivated and physical Lions unit here.
Verdict: Lions 22/10
I’m backing the Lions to win on the board. If you want a bit more headroom take the Joburg side on the (+6.5) handicap.
Stormers 1/11 | Draw 33/1 | Leinster 13/2 (19:05)
Handicap
Stormers (-15.5) 17/20 | Leinster (+15.5) 17/20
The Stormers need to rebound quickly from their dramatic loss to Ospreys last week. Defeats like that at Cape Town Stadium will be considered anathema by John Dobson and his coaching staff, and Leinster’s weakened team could fall foul of the 2022 champions.
Leo Cullen may boast the best squad depth in the competition, but even his talented youngsters will struggle to rebound from their big defeat in Joburg last week with a victory over an angry Stormers side at home – and it may cost them top spot.
Verdict: Stormers (15.5) 17/20
The Cape side are tipped to bounce back from last week’s shock defeat with a comprehensive battering of this second-string Leinster outfit.
Dragons 29/10 | Draw 22/1 | Connacht 27/100 (21:00)
Handicap
Dragons (+8.5) 17/20 | Connacht (-8.5) 17/20
The visitors head into this one off the back of a 54-16 pasting of Zebre and should have no issue seeing off 15th-placed Dragons at Rodney Parade. Connacht are ninth, level on points with eighth-placed Edinburgh and have far too much to play for to become complacent in Newport on Saturday.
Verdict: Connacht (-8.5) 17/20
The Irish side should overcome this modest handicap with relative ease.
