The Lions host the Sharks, at the Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday 21 February, and we look at the weekends sole URC clash from a betting angle.
Outright Betting Update – click here to bet
Leinster remain favourites to lift the URC trophy, trading at 1.91, but the race behind them is tightening. Glasgow Warriors head the standings after 11 rounds and are priced at 5.00, while the Stormers sit just off the pace at 5.50 with a game in hand. The Bulls (8.50) and Munster (12.00) remain firmly in the playoff picture, while Ulster are next best at 13.00. Further down the market, the Sharks are outsiders at 17.00, while the rest of the field is priced at triple figures or bigger. With the table still congested behind the top two and several teams holding games in hand, there are plenty of teams still with chances to lift the trophy as the business end of the season approaches.
LIONS
The Lions have lost just one of their last five matches, although that run does include two draws against the Ospreys and USA Perpignan. Their most recent outing saw them heavily beaten 52–17 at home by the Bulls, while their two victories during this period came against Lyon in the Challenge Cup and the Sharks in the URC.
They currently sit tenth on the URC table, having won four of their ten matches this season.
Lions Team:
To Follow
SHARKS
The Sharks arrive in Johannesburg in strong form, having won three consecutive matches. That run includes a Champions Cup victory over Clermont, followed by back-to-back URC wins against the Stormers, both home and away.
They sit ninth on the log, just one place above the Lions, also with four wins from ten matches, edging their hosts on points difference.
Sharks Team:
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Jurenzo Julius, 11 Jaco Williams, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Thomas Dyer, 7 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Jason Jenkins, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Phatu Ganyane
Replacements: 16, Eduan Swart, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Emile van Heerden, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Jordan Hendrikse, 23 Yaw Penxe
Head-to-Head:
Recent URC meetings between the Lions and Sharks have produced a mix of tight contests and emphatic home wins. The most recent clash saw the Lions edge the Sharks 23–22 in Durban earlier this season, following another narrow 25–22 Lions win in March 2025. However, the previous two Johannesburg meetings were one-sided, with the Lions recording dominant victories of 38–14 in 2025 and 40–10 in 2024. The Sharks’ last URC win in this fixture came in early 2024, when they claimed a 20–18 victory at home.
Overall, the URC form points to a strong home-ground bias in this matchup, with the Lions having won their last two league meetings in Johannesburg by significant margins.
Betting and Verdict:
The bookies make the Lions narrow favourites for this weekend’s derby, with the hosts trading at 1.80 and the Sharks at 2.20. The draw is currently priced at 23.00.
Handicap: Lions -2.5
Click here to bet on Lions v Sharks
The Lions have won their last two URC home matches against the Sharks in convincing fashion and are always tough to beat at home. With recent success in this fixture, and the opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the Sharks on the table, the Lions look well positioned to get the job done once again.
Suggested bet: Lions to win at 1.80
We don’t have points lines for this one and I will be back with another bet after the Lions have named their team and we have more markets.
Prices correct at the time of writing but subject to change
