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PREVIEW: More URC derby delight to kickstart the New Year

The URC season cracks on into the New Year this weekend.
Image Copyright - Shaun Roy/BackpagePix

The URC season cracks on into the New Year this weekend.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

Friday 30 December

Edinburgh 38/100 | Draw 20/1 | Glasgow 9/4

Handicap
Edinburgh (-6.5) 17/20 | Glasgow (+6.5) 17/20

Edinburgh fell 16-10 at the Scotstoun last week and need a solid performance at home here to overturn that deficit and reclaim the 1972 Cup for the second season in succession. The men from the capital have dropped to 10th but remain level on points with four other teams on the table; three of whom are also competing for Scottish/Italian Shield honours.

Warriors (sixth overall) lead the way in the Shield ahead of Benetton and Edinburgh, albeit on points difference. Their victory last week was their fourth in succession in all competitions and has given them an extra degree of confidence after their stop-start campaign thus far.

Black Glasgow on the plus. It’ll be another tight affair, but the away sides have rarely won in recent Scottish derbies.

Saturday 31 December

Zebre 29/10 | Draw 22/1 | Benetton 2/7

Handicap
Zebre (+8.5) 17/20 | Benetton (-8.5) 17/20

Zebre copped a big loss to their Italian counterparts a week ago, going down 38-5 in Treviso. In fact, the men from Parma haven’t won a game since defeating Dragons way back in April, despite putting in some valiant shifts this season; most notably at home against the Sharks, Leinster and Toulon.

Benetton meanwhile are flying high, sitting ninth and remain on course for a solid midtable finish. The confidence they take into this one should set them up nicely for another win, but they’ll be made to work harder at the Stadio Lanfranchi.

Zebre are always a different prospect at home, but they should still succumb to their northeastern foes. Benetton will clear the handicap.

Sharks 44/100 | Draw 18/1 | Bulls 39/20

Handicap
Sharks (-5.5) 17/20 | Bulls (+5.5) 17/20

The Sharks are out for their fifth-straight win in all competitions against a hurting Bulls outfit at Hollywoodbets Kings Park. Since their 35-0 drubbing at the hands of Cardiff last month, the Durbanites have enjoyed a welcome return to form; thanks in large part to their multitude of Springboks. A big victory over Jake White’s men would bring them within five points of the Pretoria Boys with two games in hand, and the Sharks must make the most of that opportunity if they are to host a quarterfinal.

The Bulls weren’t good enough to beat the Stormers in the Cape a week ago, and their ego would have taken a massive hit after falling to an eventual 10-point defeat. While they will definitely be up for this one, their forwards will struggle to match the Sharks’ pack.

Get on the hosts to make a big statement by clearing the handicap here.

Stormers 1/14 | Draw 33/1 | Lions 7/1

Handicap
Stormers (-16.5) 17/20 | Lions (+16.5) 17/20

The Stormers produced another barnstorming display in Cape Town last week to down the Bulls and put some breathing space between themselves and their northern rivals at the summit of the SA Shield. John Dobson’s side are also second overall and remain in a good position to lock down that spot this season given their form and confidence at the minute.

The Lions have punched above their weight all season but weren’t able to keep pace with the Sharks in Durban last time out, conceding five tries in a big 27-point loss. With matches in Limerick and Paris to follow, they’re at a critical juncture of their campaign.

Get on the Capetonians on the minus to cement a perfect record at home this year.

Sunday 1 January

Cardiff 44/100 | Draw 20/1 | Ospreys 39/20

Handicap
Cardiff (-5.5) 17/20 | Ospreys (+5.5) 17/20

Cardiff scored a late try at Rodney Parade to steal a 29-24 win over Dragons last week and remain in a healthy eight-point lead at the summit of the Welsh Shield. They’re also fifth overall after a highly successful season that has put them in a strong position to contend for a quarterfinal berth. Ospreys are the only local club they are yet to face and, having already won at Scarlets and beaten Dragons twice, they’ll be out to underline their dominance by besting the final region on their hit list.

13th-placed Ospreys claimed just the second win of their URC campaign last week thanks to a 34-14 win at home over Scarlets. Theirs has been a season to forget on the domestic front, but they can maintain the momentum they earned from their big Champions Cup victory at Montpellier with another W at the Arms Park here.

Cardiff will sneak it at home. Ospreys on the plus.

Scarlets 1/3 | Draw 22/1 | Dragons 51/20

Handicap
Scarlets (-7.5) 17/20 | Dragons (+7.5) 17/20

Scarlets’ woes continued after they were thwarted at Ospreys last week to leave them in a kind of no man’s land on the overall standings; eight points off Dragons in 14th and five better off Zebre at the bottom. This weekend presents them with a fantastic opportunity to haul in the Newportonians and bag the second win of their URC campaign.

Dragons were left heartbroken by Cardiff a week ago and will look to take that hurt into this one as they search for their fourth victory. It’ll be a tight one, but the hosts should ultimately come right.

Dragons on the plus.

Ulster 44/100 | Draw 20/1 | Munster 39/20

Handicap
Ulster (-5.5) 17/20 | Munster (+5.5) 17/20

As far as the weekend’s games go, this clash in Belfast is right up there. After their fast start this season, the wheels came off a tad for Ulster in December as they copped three losses on the bounce. They held off a tenacious Connacht unit last week in a two-point win in Galway despite leading 19-3 at one stage but will face an equally determined Munster lineup on Saturday.

Dan McFarland’s charges earned a 15-14 victory at Thomond Park in October, but a lot has clicked for Munster since then. Although they probably should have won against Leinster last weekend (finally going down 19-20), the Red Army produced a performance of which they can build; making as many as nine turnovers and completing 90% of their tackles.

Ulster should just about have the goods, but it’ll be another close call. Get on Munster at (+5.5) 17/20.

Leinster 1/20 | Draw 40/1 | Connacht 17/2

Handicap
Leinster (-18.5) 17/20 | Connacht (+18.5) 17/20

Despite missing the likes of Josh van de Flier, Johnny Sexton, Tadgh Furlong and more, Leinster maintained their winning record this season with their victory over Munster. They are looking as imperious as ever, with their offload game and exceptional defence (they had a 95% success rate in the tackle last week) powering them through the round-robin phases of the URC and Champions Cup yet again.

Connacht earned praise for clawing their way back from 16 points down to come within a conversion of earning an unlikely draw against Ulster in the previous round, but they ultimately couldn’t get the job done. They’re 12th overall and should yet pick up more wins this season, but that won’t happen in Dublin on Sunday.

With Sexton and other frontliners set to return, Leinster should clear the handicap at home.

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