All four South African teams managed to secure wins last weekend and in our Week 4 VURC preview we take a close look at the matches involving local teams.
The Sharks will play Benetton in Italy while the Stormers continue their tour away from home and face Edinburgh. The Vodacom Bulls will head away from Pretoria and take on the Ospreys in Wales while the Lions also travel to Wales to take on the Dragons on Sunday.
Leinster are the 4/6 favourites to win the URC with the Bulls the top priced South African team at 5/1.
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SATURDAY
Benetton v Sharks – Click here to bet
Benetton are yet to win a match so far this season with three from three losses so far. They hosted a very strong Leinster side last weekend and suffered a 5-35 defeat with the match over as a contest by the break with Leinster leading by 28-0.
The Sharks bounced back from their first round loss to Connacht to beat the Dragons last weekend. They were trailing for most of the match but finished strong to snatch the win.
Head-to-Head
The two sides have played each other 3 times in the URC. Benetton won the most recent fixture between the two sides in Durban earlier this year with the match ending 24-25. The Sharks however have won the other two encounters including the only fixture that was played in Italy.
Betting and Verdict
The home side Benetton are favourites to win and are trading at 1.72 while the Sharks are trading at 2.35 and the draw at 21.00.
The Sharks had a poor start to the Currie Cup, but once they managed to get one win under their belt, they went on a hot run which I can see them doing similar in the URC and I think the Sharks are the play.
Handicap: Sharks [+2.5]
BET: Sharks to win at 2.35
Edinburgh v Stormers – Click here to bet
Edinburgh have had the toughest start to a season of any team so far. After hosting Leinster in the first round where they just lost the match 31-33, they travelled to the highveld where they took on the Buls and the Lions, losing both matches with the Lions loss a particularly brutal one, they went down 55-21.
The Stormers bounced back from their opening defeat to the Ospreys on the road beating Zebre 36-5 in Italy last week.
Head-to-Head
The two sides have met four times in recent years with the Stormers winning all three matches played in Cape town while the only match played in Edinburgh ended in a draw.
Betting and Verdict
The bookies have Edinburgh as favourites to win the match and have them at 1.62 while the Stormers are trading at 2.63 and the draw is 23.00.
Although Edinburgh have lost all three of their matches so far, those three matches will probably be their three toughest of the season and they will be glad to be heading back home. I am backing them to put the poor start behind them and to get their 1st win in some style.
Handicap: Edinburgh [-3.5]
BET: Handicap, Edinburgh [-3.5] at 1.91
Ospreys v Vodacom Bulls – Click here to bet
The Ospreys have won one of their three matches so far with their only win coming against the Stormers at home in the second round. They headed to Munster last weekend where they did not manage to score a point and lost the match 23-0 in what was close to unplayable conditions.
The Vodacom Bulls are one of three teams that remain undefeated so far this season. They have hosted Edinburgh and Ulster in the last two weeks and won both matches beating Edinburgh by 6 points in a tight match and Ulster by 26.
Head-to-Head
The Vodacom Bulls have won all three fixtures against the Ospreys in the last two years. The last time the two sides played in Wales, the Bulls won the match 31-38.
Betting and Verdict
The Vodacom Bulls are favourites to win the match and are trading at 1.35 while the Ospreys are trading at 3.70 for the win, the draw is quoted at 26.00.
The Vodacom Bulls have named a strong squad and have the team to put the Ospreys to the sword and beat the handicap.
Handicap: Bulls [-7.5]
BET: Handicap, Bulls [-7.5] at 1.95.
SUNDAY
Dragons v Lions – Click here to bet
The Dragons have won only one of their three matches so far this season with the win coming in the first round at home against the Ospreys thanks to a late try. Their match last weekend was against the Sharks at home where they lost 30-33, losing to a late try.
The Lions have won their first two matches this season beating both Ulster and Edinburgh at home. Last weekends result against Edinburgh was 55-21 despite the Lions stepping off the gas in the 2nd half.
Head-to-Head
The Lions have beaten the Dragons on four of the five encounters between the two sides with the other match ending in draws.
The bookies have the Lions as strong favourites to win and have them trading at 1.30 while the Dragons are trading at 4.20 and the draw is being dangled at 29.00.
I think the Lions are definitely strong enough to win the game, but their record outside of South Africa last season (they only won twice on the road) suggests that they won’t be running away with the match.
Handicap: Dragons [+8.5]
BET: Handicap, Dragons [+8.5] at 1.90.
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