The VURC returns this weekend as the competition moves into Round 7. It is derby weekend in South Africa, with the Stormers hosting the Lions in Cape Town, followed by the Sharks taking on the Bulls in Durban. We look at both matches from a betting angle and offer up a suggested bet in each for consideration.
Stormers v Lions – Click here to bet
The Stormers head into the opening two rounds of the Champions Cup undefeated, having won their first six matches of the URC. The last 2 weeks they have been involved in Champions Cup action where they opened their campaign with a victory over Aviron Bayonnais before backing it up with an impressive home win against Stade Rochelais in round two.
After a poor start to the season, the Lions responded well by winning three consecutive URC matches against the Scarlets, Ulster and the Bulls. However, they were unable to maintain that momentum in the Challenge Cup, suffering defeats to Benetton and the Newcastle Red Bulls.
Head-to-Head
The Stormers have dominated this fixture recently, winning four of the last five meetings between the two sides. The most recent clash in Cape Town ended in a convincing 29–10 victory for the Stormers.
Betting
Unsurprisingly, the Stormers head into this week’s match as strong favourites, trading at 1.14 for the win. The Lions are priced at 7.25, while the draw is currently available at 36.00 and the handicap at the time of writing is Stormers -13.5.
Verdict
The Stormers do not look like a team that will lose anytime soon, and it is hard to see a Lions side, coming off the back of two defeats, upsetting them in Cape Town. The real question to me is the winning margin. Although the Stormers have only played three home matches this season, they have won all of them by more than 15 points. The last time these teams met in Cape Town, the Stormers won by 19 points, and once again they look well placed to cover a winning margin of 14 plus points this weekend.
Suggested Bet: Hcap, Stormers [-13.5] at 1.91
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Sharks v Vodacom Bulls – Click here to bet
The Sharks currently 14th on the table have been struggling, winning just two of their last five matches. However, they did manage to deliver an impressive performance last weekend in the European Rugby Championship, defeating Saracens 28–23 at home, a result that should give them some momentum heading into this week.
The Bulls, 8th on the log, come into the weekend on the back of four consecutive defeats. Their two URC losses were away to the Glasgow Warriors and at home to the Lions, followed by Champions Cup defeats against Bordeaux and Northampton in the opening two rounds.
Head-to-Head
Looking at the last five meetings between the sides across all competitions, the Bulls have won two, including the most recent two encounters. The Sharks have also won twice, while the remaining fixture ended in a draw. The last time these two teams met in a URC clash in Durban, the Sharks edged the match 20–17.
Betting
The Sharks are favourites to win this match and are trading at 1.93 for the victory, while the Bulls are priced at 2.05. The draw, at the time of writing, is available at 23.00 and the cap is Sharks -0.5 points.
Verdict
Both sides head into the weekend in need of a win as they look to climb the table. While the Bulls are coming off the back of four losses, apart from the home defeat to the Lions, their other three fixtures were extremely tough assignments and can be excused. I think we could see them halt the Sharks momentum this weekend and return to winning ways.
Suggested Bet: Bulls to win at 2.05
Click here for betting on all the weekends URC matches
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
