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PREVIEW: SA sides are back on the road in URC Round 12 action

The South African franchises head north again this weekend, with the Stormers and Sharks looking to continue their momentum and the Bulls and Lions aiming to get back to winning ways.
Image Copyright - Shaun Roy

The South African franchises head north again this weekend, with the Stormers and Sharks looking to continue their momentum and the Bulls and Lions aiming to get back to winning ways.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

Friday 6 January

Munster 1/12 | Draw 33/1 | Lions 7/1

Handicap
Munster (-17.5) 17/20 | (+17.5) 17/20

Munster are very much on the up after their early season growing pains under Graham Rowntree, climbing to ninth on the standings thanks to three wins from their last four URC outings. Having scored in the dying embers of their clash with Ulster a week ago to record an invaluable 20-19 victory at the Kingspan, they’ll take plenty of momentum into this one against a struggling Lions outfit.

Ivan van Rooyen’s men suffered big losses at the hands of the Sharks and Stormers over the past two rounds and now lie 11th with a 50% record from their 10-matches so far. They need a big rebound with playoff qualification now coming into question, and it’s vital for them to collect as many points as they can from their next three URC games; all of which are in Europe.

The Red Army are riding a wave at the moment and don’t look likely to let up here. Get on the hosts to clear the ‘cap.

Dragons 3/1 | Draw 22/1 | Bulls 27/100

Handicap
Dragons (+8.5) 17/20 | Bulls (-8.5) 17/20

Dragons’ last win came six games ago in a 47-7 thrashing of Zebre at the end of October. Since then, they’ve lost five and drawn one in all competitions to drop to 14th on the URC log; just four points better off western rivals Scarlets. The hosts have already claimed one more win this season (three) than they did throughout the entirety of their last campaign but must arrest their current form or face the prospect of finishing bottom of the Welsh Shield again.

The Bulls have had a rotten run of late themselves, losing their last three in all comps to see the Sharks gain serious ground on them. What will be most frustrating of all for Jake White and his men though is the nature of their away losses to the Stormers (37-27) and the Sharks (47-20) given the fact that they were never really in either contest.

It’s unlikely the men in blue will be feeling all that forgiving this weekend. Back them to clear the handicap with ease.

Saturday 7 January

Benetton 7/4 | Draw 20/1 | Ulster 5/10

Handicap
Benetton (+4.5) 17/20 | Ulster (-4.5) 17/20

Benetton well and truly underlined their status as the dominant club in Italy over the past fortnight thanks to two comprehensive victories over Zebre that resulted in an aggregated scoreline of 78-22. They’re seventh overall with six from 11 and should continue to push hard for a respectable midtable finish, though a quarterfinal berth may just be out of reach.

Ulster are hurting following a tumultuous month or so that has seen them lose four from their last five in all comps. Last week’s one-point defeat at home to Munster saw them fall even further off the top two but they should bounce back at the Stadio Comunale here.

Benetton are no joke, particularly at home, but a desperate Ulster will take this one. Ulster on the minus.

Edinburgh 1/50 | Draw 45/1| Zebre 12/1

Handicap
Edinburgh (-23.5) 17/20 | Zebre (+23.5) 17/20

Edinburgh’s 25-32 defeat at home to Glasgow last week was their fourth loss in the URC in succession and saw them relinquish the 1872 Cup to their bitter rivals. Mike Blair’s boys have been on a freefall of late, currently occupying 10th, and in many ways this weekend’s game couldn’t have come at a better time.

Although the hosts may be vulnerable, winless Zebre don’t have the requisite skills to take advantage, particularly in the Scottish capital.

Edinburgh to clear the handicap.

Cardiff 2/7 | Draw 22/1| Scarlets 29/10

Handicap
Cardiff (-8.5) 17/20 | Scarlets (+8.5) 17/20

Eighth-placed Cardiff continue to lead the way in the Welsh Shield despite copping a narrow 19-22 home loss to Ospreys last week. That result has left Dai Young’s charges five-points clear of the men from Swansea, but considering just six-points separates the fifth-placed Sharks from the 12th-placed Ospreys on the log, Cardiff can’t afford to make losing a habit.

Scarlets won their second game of the URC season against Dragons last time out but could find the going tough this weekend. Cardiff already claimed a 16-10 win in Llanelli in early October and they should bag a similar result here.

Scarlets on the plus.

Connacht 11/10 | Draw 20/1 | Sharks 8/10

Handicap
Connacht (+1.5) 17/20 | Sharks (-1.5) 17/20

The Sharks have hit a real hot streak since their hiding at home to Cardiff, winning all five of the games they’ve played in that time and managing to climb up to fifth on the URC leaderboard; trailing the Bulls by five-points albeit with two matches in hand. Given the performances of their pack and the dynamism of their backline, there’s no reason the Durbanites can’t go on to chase down the Stormers at the summit of the SA Shield.

Connacht have lost their last two in the URC, to neighbours Ulster and Leinster, and currently sit 13th with a 4-7 season. There will be opportunities down the road for the men from Galway to improve on their standing but they should find themselves outgunned here.

The power of the Sharks’ forwards and the boot of Curwin Bosch should see them clear the handicap.

Ospreys 48/10 | Draw 28/1 | Leinster 1/7

Handicap
Ospreys (+12.5) 17/20 | Leinster (-12.5) 17/20

Ospreys have hit a purple patch of late, picking up three wins on the trot in all comps to head into this one with about as much momentum as they could hope for given their indifferent start to the campaign. Like Connacht, there will definitely be more chances for them to improve on their win column as the season progresses, but it’s tough to see them getting anything out of this game.

All-conquering Leinster should maintain their freakish unbeaten record at the Swansea.com Stadium and win by 14 or more.

Sunday 8 January

Glasgow Warriors 11/10| Draw 20/1 | Stormers 8/10

Handicap
Glasgow (+1.5) 17/20 | Stormers (-1.5) 17/20

Warriors lead the way in the Scottish/ Italian Shield on points difference over Benetton, albeit having played a game less. Sitting sixth overall with five wins in succession in all comps heading into this one, they’ve done well to arrest some chronic early season inconsistency to find themselves in a very good position overall.

Although they are unlikely to usurp Leinster at the summit, the Stormers continue to play some of the finest footy in the tournament and will be right in contention for the title come the post-season.

The Capetonians will have a real fight on their hands at the Scotstoun, but they should be good enough to clear the ‘cap.
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