United Rugby Championship Predictions – Round 8

The South African franchises welcome Welsh regions to the republic as this weekend, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The cross-hemisphere league is back after the international break and it’s fitting that teams from South Africa and Wales face off as these as the two nations involved in the URC who have final Test assignments on Saturday.

The South African quartet have a perfect record against Welsh opposition on home soil and they’ll be out to keep it that way starting with the Stormers, who square off with the Scarlets in Cape Town on Friday.

The Bulls battle the Ospreys in Pretoria on Saturday while Sunday sees the Lions face the Dragons in Johannesburg and the Sharks clash with Cardiff in Durban.

Stormers v Scarlets

Friday, 25 November – 19:00

As alluded to above, South African and Welsh sides have to make do without their Test stars this weekend. The Stormers have been stripped down more than usual with their general Manie Libbok chief among the additional call-ups to the national side.

The last few weeks, however, have given all the affected teams ample time to train with their new combinations so while they’ll be understrength, they’ll have confidence in the players and combinations selected.

The Scarlets are poor at their best, languishing in 15th place with just a single win, so bank on the defending champions to claim a commanding win.

Ulster v Zebre

Friday, 25 November – 21:35

The log shows the gulf that exists between these teams with Ulster in second place, having only lost to Leinster, and Zebre dead last as the only winless outfit.

The hosts will win handsomely, however, the rain will limit the amount of scoreboard damage they inflict on the men from Parma.

Benetton v Edinburgh

Saturday, 26 November – 15:00

Benetton have so far this season been one of the teams who’ve received the biggest boost when it comes to home-ground advantage. They’ve been blown away in all of their away games, including a demoralising 37-0 drubbing in Glasgow last time out, but have won three of their four home games.

The one blemish was a big one, though, a 44-22 reserve against the Bulls in the most recent of their home fixtures, which forms part of their current three-match losing streak.

Edinburgh, in contrast, have won three in a row plus the last two in this rivalry, and the buzz the returning internationals will bring to the camp after Scotland’s pummelling of the Pumas will help the visitors to victory.

Bulls v Ospreys

Saturday, 26 November- 15:00

The Bulls showed in their 40-27 home win over the Sharks in the previous round what a benefit it is to have a slew of international calibre players in their ranks who’re not in the current Springbok camp.

Four players who featured in that Pink day triumph, which moved the Pretoria side to the top of the local shield and into third place overall, who aren’t available this weekend are captain Marcell Coetzee and Walt Steenkamp, who’re in Japan, and the pair of Marco van Staden and Johan Goosen, who’re serving as injury cover in the Springbok squad.

They have a pack loaded with power, though, and rotating flyhalves in Chris Smit and Morne Steyn whose tactical prowess will shine on a rainy afternoon at Loftus, where thunderstorms are on the cards (60%). The 12th-placed Ospreys couldn’t beat Connacht at home last time out, so the Bulls will take this one by force. 

Leinster v Glasgow Warriors

Saturday, 26 November – 15:15

Leinster have been flawless while Glasgow have been consistently inconsistent. Franco Smith’s men have followed up every win with a loss so far this season and won their last one – the aforementioned 37-0 shutout of Benetton.  

Based on that alone, they’re set to take a loss here but, then, they are away to the log leaders who stand tall as the only unbeaten team, so that’s all but a given.

It’ll be wet and windy, so it’ll be smash-and-bash rugby and Leinster have the best cardio in the league, leaving them poised to prevail in a war of attrition. 

Munster v Connacht

Saturday, 26 November – 21:35

Connacht could actually be viewed as the favourites here. They won the October tie 20-11 and are on a two-match winning streak while Munster are coming off back-to-back losses in the URC.

The Red Army have been the biggest disappointment so far this season and as perennial powerhouses, they look out of place down in 14th and at the bottom of the Irish Shield.

That said, the recent clash against South Africa ‘A’ was the best thing that could’ve happened to them. The historic 28-14 win over the Springbok dirt trackers in Cork would’ve galvanised them and they’ll ride that tsunami into this game and, ultimately, to a much-needed derby win.

Lions v Dragons

Sunday, 27 November – 16:00

Scattered showers and thunderstorms won’t rain on the Lions’ parade as far as the result is concerned, but it will probably force them to play a bit of a more structured, power-based game than usual.

The teams are ninth and 10th on the table, both on 15 points, but the Lions have the superior points difference and a game in hand highlights the fact that the pride of Johannesburg have been the more impressive of the two teams.

As the side least impacted by players on national duty, their cohesiveness will be too much for the Dragons to cope with.

Sharks v Cardiff

Sunday, 27 November – 18:10

Thunderstorms will affect play at Kings Park as well. The Sharks are on the opposite side of the Springbok spectrum as the Lions as the franchise missing the most Test stars.

Even captain Thomas du Toit, Ntuthuko Mchunu, and Grant Williams have been roped in after featuring for South Africa ‘A’ to provide extra back-up for the Springboks. 

In Cardiff, the Durbanites are also facing the best of the Welsh sides this season, with the capital side sitting two places above them in the sixth, although they’ve played two more matches.

A Springbok-less Sharks team’s not a bad one. Naturally, they’re vulnerable in some areas but they’re still good enough to get past Cardiff, with Boeta Chamberlain – who was in fine form before the break – being the glue that’ll give them the stability they need.