The United Rugby Championship continues this weekend with Round 4 and we take a look at the games involving South African teams and suggest a bet in each.
Let’s start with a look at the Outright Betting where Leinster remain strong favourites at 7/10 to lift the trophy with Irish rivals, Munster 9/2, Ulster 8/1 and you can get 14/1 about the Bulls, the shortest price of the South African teams. The Bulls are also trading as the 6/10 favourites to win the South African Conference.
Click here for United Rugby Championship Outright Betting
FRIDAY
DRAGONS v STORMERS
The Dragons, for me, have been the surprise package of the season and last week they beat Connacht 35-22 on the road, having run Leinster to within 1 point at home the week before eventually losing 7-6 in a low scoring fixture.
The Stormers played an incredible match against Edinburgh last week with the score finishing 20-20 which was also the half-time score and I certainly felt sympathy for any punters that were on the over 44.5 points which they must have been mentally banking at half-time. The week before that the Stormers lost 34-18 to Munster and they would have been disappointed in losing their opening match 22-18 at Benetton.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Dragons 7/10
Draw 25/1
Stormers 27/20
Handicap: Dragons (-2.5) at 9/10, Stormers (+2.5) at 9/10
Suggested Bet: Dragons win at 7/10
The Stormers side has looked impressive in patches over the last couple of weeks, but the Dragons have really got their act together and I can see them edging a victory here.
ULSTER v LIONS
Ulster hammered Benetton 28-8 at home last week having beaten Zebre by 33 points on the road the week before. They were pushed hard in their opening match beating the Glasgow Warriors 35-29 at home, a game where the Warriors beat the handicap.
The Lions were double digit underdogs away to the Glasgow Warriors last week and they put up a good fight eventually losing 13-9 and Lions fans can feel aggrieved as the Glasgow Warriors try was later shown from a different angle which suggested it should not have been given. They beat Zebre in Round 1, but were well beaten 36-13 by the Scarlets in Round 2.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Ulster 1/14
Draw 50/1
Lions 9/1
Handicap: Ulster (-19.5) at 9/10, Lions (+19.5) at 9/10
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Lions (+19.5) at 9/10
This is not the most confidence of calls and in fact I would be saving my big money for the points lines which are not out yet. Ulster play a quick tempo game and so do the Lions and I expect we will get tries on both sides, but if pushed I would be leaning towards the Lions handicap at (+19.5).
SATURDAY
EDINBURGH v BULLS
Edinburgh led the Stormers 14-0 at one point last week and eventually the match finished in a 20-20 draw. They lost by a single point to Benetton away the week before and had beaten the Scarlets by 4 points at home in Round 1.
The Bulls were well backed last week where the handicap moving from (+7.5) to (+5.5), but when they were 16-3 down at half-time those who backed them on the plus must have been fearing their money was gone. They turned things round though with a brilliant second-half performance to win 29-19, their first victory of the Tournament having lost by 28 to Leinster away and by 27 points to Connacht also on the road.
BETTING - Click here to bet
Edinburgh 5/6
Draw 22/1
Bulls 23/20
Handicap: Edinburgh (-1.5) at 9/10, Bulls (+1.5) at 9/10
Suggested Bet: Bulls win at 23/20
If this Bulls side can take the momentum from last week into this match I think they have every chance of rolling this Edinburgh side over.
CARDIFF v SHARKS
Cardiff will be hurting after their 29-19 loss to the Bulls last week having looked in control of the game. In Round 2 they were disappointed to lose by 4 points to Ospreys away and in their opening game of the season was a 12 point home win over Connacht, a game where they started 8.5 point favourites.
The Sharks stunned Ospreys 27-13 last week to claim their first win and it was an impressive result considering that the Ospreys started double figure favourites with the bookmakers. In Round 2 they came from an early deficit to fight back and lose 35-24 to the Glasgow Warriors and in their opening round they were no match for Munster losing 42-17.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Cardiff 7/10
Draw 25/1
Sharks 27/20
Handicap: Cardiff (-2.5) at 9/10, Sharks (+2.5) at 9/10
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Cardiff (-2.5) at 9/10
Cardiff have a quality side and I think they will pack too many guns for the Sharks.
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
