The Stormers host the Sharks in the URC in Cape Town on Saturday and the table topping home side start as firm favourites to extend their 100% record to nine matches.
Stormers v Sharks, Saturday 24th January, Cape Town, KO 19:30 (South African time)
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU
Assistant Referees: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU), Jonathan Lottering (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Weather Forecast – Cape Town
Stormers:
In the URC the Stormers are the only side to boast a 100% record, 8 wins from 8 and they are 2 points clear of Glasgow Warriors at the top of the standings with a game in hand.
Over the festive season the Stormers won back to back SA derby matches in Cape Town, against the Lions (34-27) and most recently the Bulls (13-8). The Stormers other home games so far came in the opening two rounds where they ran out 35-0 winners against Leinster and then 26-10 victors over the Ospreys. Their next 4 matches were all overseas and the Stormers beat the Scarlets, Zebre, Benetton and Munster.
Over the last couple of weeks the Stormers have been in Champions Cup action and they finished third behind Leinster and Harlequins with a record of 3 wins and 1 defeat. They beat Leicester Tigers 39-24 in Cape Town last week but it wasn’t enough to secure a home play off and the Stormers will now travel to face Toulon in the Round of 16 in early April.
After this the Stormers will travel to Durban to take on the Sharks again next week. In the outright betting to win the URC title the Stormers are now 33/10 second favourites with Hollywoodbets and Leinster top the boards at 8/10
Sharks:
In the URC the Sharks have won just 2 of 8 matches, drawing 1 and losing 5 and they are third bottom on the log (with 14 points) and with plenty to do to get into the play off picture.
Two recent SA derby matches, both in Durban saw them beat the Bulls 21-12 and lose 23-22 to the Lions. Their only other URC win came in a home fixture back in Round 5 when they saw off the Scarlets 29-19.
The Sharks Champions Cup pool stage campaign concluded last week when they thrashed Clermont (50-12) in Durban but they finished fifth in the pool with a record of 2 wins and 2 defeats. That means the Sharks will contest the Challenge Cup knockout rounds where their first task comprises of a visit to Galway to take on Connacht.
In the outright betting to win the URC title the Sharks are 33/1 with Hollywoodbets
Team News
Stormers: tbc
Sharks: tbc
The Betting,
Average early show
Stormers -10.5 points at 9/10
Sharks +10.5 points at 9/10
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
This Weeks Bets
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