Round 13 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship sees all four South African sides in action this weekend. The Bulls host Cardiff on Friday, the Lions and Sharks play on Saturday, and the Stormers wrap things up on Sunday.
From a standings perspective, the Stormers (2nd, 41 pts), Lions (7th, 33 pts) and Bulls (8th, 30 pts) are all in the top eight, while the Sharks (11th, 24 pts) have to make up ground.
FRIDAY
Vodacom Bulls v Cardiff Blues – Click here to bet
The Bulls come into this clash with solid recent form. Since 23 January they have beaten Edinburgh (19–17 away), thrashed the Lions (52–17), and beaten the Sharks (41–12 at home), before losing 19–32 to the Stormers last weekend.
At Loftus, they remain a high-scoring and physically dominant side.
Cardiff’s recent results show narrow home wins over Leinster (8–7) and Benetton (17–8), but a 14–21 away defeat to Ulster highlights their struggles on the road.
Head-to-head
The Bulls hold a commanding head-to-head record over Cardiff. In their last four URC meetings, the Bulls have won every time, including a 45–21 win in their most recent encounter and a 45–9 win at Loftus in 2022. Cardiff’s most competitive result was a 12–18 loss away from home in November 2023, and they have failed to keep games close whenever travelling to South Africa.
Betting
Bulls 1.05 | Draw 46.00 | Cardiff 13.00
Handicap: Bulls −21.5
Points: 59.5
Verdict
The Bulls’ home scoring power and Cardiff’s poor away form suggest a mismatch here.
Suggested Bet: Bulls −21.5 at 1.91
SATURDAY
Lions v Edinburgh – Click here to bet
The Lions have been inconsistent but have had some good results at Ellis Park. Since 23 January they have drawn with the Ospreys (24–24 away), lost heavily at home to the Bulls (17–52), and then bounced back with home wins over the Sharks (34–22) and Stormers (24–10).
Edinburgh have struggled for consistency, losing to the Bulls (17–19) and Leinster (20–28 away), with their only win in this stretch coming against the Scarlets (24–19 at home).
Head-to-head
The head-to-head record at Ellis Park heavily favours the Lions. In their last URC meeting in Johannesburg, the Lions won 55–21. In the four most recent URC meetings between the sides, the Lions have won three times, with Edinburgh’s only win coming away from home last season (24–12 in a Champions Cup fixture). Every time these teams have met in Johannesburg, the Lions have come out on top comfortably.
Betting
Lions 1.20 | Draw 31.00 | Edinburgh 5.50
Handicap: Lions −10.5
Verdict
The Lions’ home form and Edinburgh’s away struggles point towards a home win by a margin.
Suggested Bet: Lions −10.5 at 1.87
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Sharks v Munster – Click here to bet
The Sharks wins have tended to come at home. Since 23 January they beat the Stormers (36–24 at home) but lost away to the Bulls (12–41) and Lions (22–34) on the road.
Munster have been inconsistent, beating the Dragons (22–20 away) but losing to Glasgow (22–31 at home), and have not been convincing on their travels.
Head-to-Head
The Sharks have a strong head-to-head record against Munster at Kings Park. In their last five meetings, the Sharks have dominated, winning 41–24 and 50–35, with Munster’s only real win coming on home soil (34–21). The last time the sides met in Durban, the Sharks won 25–24 in a tight finish, and historically Munster have found it difficult to win in Durban.
Betting
Sharks 1.36 | Draw 23.00 | Munster 3.65
Handicap: Sharks −6.5
Verdict
Kings Park remains a difficult venue, and the Sharks’ home form and Bok laden squad gives them the edge.
Suggested Bet: Sharks −6.5 at 1.87
SUNDAY
Stormers v Dragons – Click here to bet
The Stormers come into this match off an excellent 32–19 away win over the Bulls. Prior to that they lost to the Sharks (19–30 away) and Lions (10–24 away), but that Loftus result reinforces their quality.
The Dragons have struggled badly, losing to Munster (20–22 and 7–21), Ospreys (8–19), and drawing twice with Benetton (15–15).
Head-to-head
The Stormers have completely dominated this fixture in recent seasons. They beat the Dragons 48–12 at DHL Stadium in May last year and have won all four of their most recent URC meetings with the Welsh side, including a 44–21 win in Cardiff in 2024 and a 34–26 home win in 2022. The Dragons have not beaten the Stormers in the URC in recent memory.
Betting
Stormers 1.01 | Draw 71.00 | Dragons 21.00
Handicap: Stormers −27.5
Verdict
The gap in class is significant, and a resurgent Stormers should dominate at home.
Suggested Bet: Stormers −27.5 at 1.91
All 4 home teams to beat the minus handicap works out to odds of 12.76
Click here for betting on all the weekend’s URC matches
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
