The URC is back with a full round of fixtures this weekend, including two more SA derbies in the form of the Lions v Hollywoodbets Sharks and Bulls v Stormers.
Friday 28 February
Munster | Draw | Edinburgh
Munster backed up their win at Dragons by seeing off Scarlets in Limerick last time out and will be eager to knock over an indifferent Edinburgh side here. The Red Army are fifth on 31-points, still within striking distance of the fourth-placed Sharks (34) albeit having played a game more. They should have enough depth at the club to take down the Scottish club on Friday.
Two defeats on the spin has seen Edinburgh drop to ninth overall as the pressure heats up on Sean Everitt and his coaching staff ahead of what will be a tough challenge at Thomond Park. After losing their last two matches to Scarlets (away) and lowly Zebre (at home), the squad will be short on confidence.
Verdict: Munster on the minus
Munster to bag five log points in a comfortable win.
Zebre | Draw | Dragons
Zebre are playing fantastic rugby at the minute and currently enjoy a two-game winning streak in the competition – a complete rarity for the perennial tournament strugglers. They couldn’t have asked for a better chance at making it three with bottom-placed Dragons visiting the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Friday, and Massimo Brunello’s charges need to make the most of it.
Dragons are 12-points back of their 15th-placed foes this week after enduring a season from hell so far. They’ve lost 10 of their 11 matches to date and don’t look capable of outdoing what will be a confident Zebre team at home.
Verdict: Zebre to win
It may be a close one, but the hosts will get the job done in Parma for what would be a famous win.
Saturday 1 March
Lions | Draw | Hollywoodbets Sharks
The Lions’ loss at the Bulls last week would have definitely knocked some steam out of their post-season ambitions, but the reality is they remain just four-points off the top eight in 12th-place with a game in hand on the teams around them. Victory over the Sharks would put them right back in the playoff mix but while they will be battle hardened after having played so recently, the Durban side will be tough to bring down.
John Plumtree’s boys did the business at Fortress Loftus in a brilliant 29-19 win a fortnight ago. They now trail the Bulls by just five-points overall (having played a game less) and two on the SA Shield log. With a number of players set to return from injury, and Lukhanyo Am in such fine touch, they should make it two from two on the highveld.
Verdict: Hollywoodbets Sharks on the board
The visitors to down the Lions and maintain the momentum.
Leinster | Draw | Cardiff
Cardiff started the campaign extremely well but have hit a proper wobble of late, losing each of their last three URC matches to drop to sixth on the log. That rotten run doesn’t look set to end this weekend unfortunately, with a trip to the Aviva the last thing the players would have wanted, particularly after losing head coach Matt Sherratt to the Wales national set up.
Verdict: Leinster on the minus
Unbeaten Leinster to win comfortably in Dublin.
Bulls | Draw | Stormers
The Bulls got back to winning ways by making it two from two in the Jukskei derby this season. They’re third and still looking likely to go deep into the competition, though their recent defeat to the Hollywoodbets Sharks would have inflicted some real psychological damage. They pipped the Capetonians 33-32 in the Cape at the beginning
of February but will need to cope with the continued loss of several chief lieutenants this time around.
The Stormers are 10th, three-points adrift of the top eight and still very much in the hunt for playoff rugby after putting their dismal early season form behind them. Revenge will be at the forefront of their minds heading into this highveld clash, though they could feel the brunt of a Bulls unit that produced a fine performance last week and which will have the Loftus crowd behind them.
Verdict: Bulls on the board
Even slightly depleted, the Bulls will be too strong for the coastal outfit again.
Ulster | Draw | Scarlets
By their usual high standards, Ulster have fallen way off the pace this term. Currently 14th after a dreadful run of form over the past few months, they could yet sneak into the knockouts given they’re just four-points off their eighth-placed opponents this week and should be targeting this clash as a must win.
Considering the competitiveness of the URC again this season, Scarlets must bounce back from their recent loss at Munster as soon as possible. History though is certainly not on their side in this fixture given they’ve lost each of their last four meetings with Ulster with defeat set to be a major setback in their quest for the knockouts.
Verdict: Ulster on the board
The hosts should keep their playoff bid and winning run over Scarlets alive on Saturday.
Glasgow Warriors | Draw | Ospreys
Warriors eased past Dragons at Rodney Parade in their last outing to maintain the pace in second overall. The defending champs have a difficult run of fixtures ahead of them though, and with the Bulls just two-points behind them, they have to put Ospreys to the sword at the Scotstoun.
Although the Ospreys are 13th and just four-points shy of the top eight, the playoffs look a tall order. Whether they have the squad depth to challenge Glasgow this weekend is
also dubious, even in spite of their fantastic Swansea performances in their narrow 19-22 defeat to Leinster on Valentine’s Day and 43-0 demolition of Benetton in January.
Verdict: Glasgow to clear the handicap
Warriors to bag all five-log points on offer.
Connacht | Draw | Benetton
11th-placed Connacht (24-points) are just four-points behind their seventh-placed opponents this week and can reel them in with a win. Benetton though know how to beat the Westerners, having claimed three victories on the spin over their Irish opponents in their last three meetings in all competitions. This should be one of the tightest fixtures of the weekend, but Connacht should deliver the goods.
Verdict: Connacht
The Galway crowd to prove the difference for Connacht.
