United Rugby Championship Predictions – Round 3

All four South African teams are in Europe for Round Three action writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The coastal sides kick things off on Friday night with the Stormers crossing swords with the Warriors in Glasgow and the Sharks squaring off against the Ospreys in London. 

The Gauteng outfits have Italian jobs with the Bulls tackling Zebre in Parma on Saturday and the Lions battling Benetton in Treviso on Sunday.

Glasgow Warriors v Stormers

Friday, 3 November – 21:35

A titanic tussle is in store at Scotstoun where the Stormers succumbed 24-17 on their maiden visit last season and are hoping to preserve their place at the top of the table. The inaugural champions and last year’s runners-up have hit the ground running with back-to-back bonus-point wins, but the real work starts now.

The Warriors are a serious step up in competition from the Lions and Scarlets and are as ambitious and well-coached by Franco Smith as they are tough to topple at home, where they blew away title favourites Leinster 43-25 in the first round before coming up short away to impressive Connacht.

The Stormers’ intensity, interlinking and fluidity on attack will cause the Warriors problems, but home-ground advantage should sway things in the Scottish side’s favour.

Ospreys v Sharks

Friday, 3 November – 21:35

Drawing defending champions Munster and top seeds Leinster first up, the Sharks were always going to struggle but after having concluded their fruitless trip to Ireland, their visit to Wales is where we’ll get a better indication of what they have to offer under new coach John Plumtree.

Defensively, they need to tighten up and be more disciplined, while they need spark in the backline and eliminate soft moments that make things even harder on themselves. The Ospreys survived a scare against Zebre last weekend, eking out a 34-31 win at home following an away loss to Connacht and seem ripe for the picking.

The Sharks have won both matches in this rivalry and they should be able to get through more work and leave with a welcome win.

Zebre v Bulls

Saturday, 4 November 2023 – 15:00

Perennial wooden spoonists Zebre have been no pushovers in the early stages of the new season, suffering narrow losses to Ulster and the Ospreys, so the Bulls won’t simply rock up to Parma and collect the points as in previous seasons.

The Bulls have started well and with a bit more accuracy, they could’ve beaten Ulster away last weekend. Zebre have been full of energy and enterprise, while their driving maul has always been surprisingly effective.

However, they suffer dips in games where they go from the sublime to the ordinary. The Bulls are more stable, and their power and pace should see them pick up the win.

Leinster v Edinburgh

Saturday, 4 November 2023 – 17:05

The men from Dublin were back to their dominant selves against the Sharks last weekend after being ambushed by Glasgow in the opening round and they’ll be determined to build momentum.

Edinburgh are two from two under Sean Everitt with close wins over the Dragons and Lions, but Leinster are a different beast. Rain will keep them from playing at the high pace they like to push, with their ruck speed set to be impacted, which is why I’ll be going with the Scots on the plus.

Scarlets v Cardiff

Saturday, 4 November 2023 – 19:15

Back from a disastrous tour of South Africa, the bottom-of-the-log Scarlets seek to start fresh in their first home game. After suffering a heart-breaking 23-22 loss to Benetton, Cardiff defeated the Dragons 16-9 on the road last weekend, so momentum is on their side.

There’s very little in it in this Welsh rivalry with the two sides having split the last 10 meetings straight down the middle. The away team have triumphed on the last three occasions which, coupled with Cardiff’s sharpness and momentum, make them high-value underdogs.

Munster v Dragons

Saturday, 4 November 2023 – 19:15

After easing to an opening-round win over the Sharks, Munster showed the fight that characterised their late run to glory last season as they scored a last-gasp converted try to salvage a draw with Benetton last weekend.

The Dragons had an opportunity to get their campaign off to a good start with two home games but were pipped in both by Edinburgh and Cardiff and are now in for misery in a tough first away assignment.

Munster would not have forgotten the shock loss they suffered to the Dragons last season, and they’ll exact revenge in emphatic fashion.

Connacht v Ulster

Saturday, 4 November 2023 – 21:35

No 2 host No 3 in what should be a cracking Irish derby. Both teams are on nine points with Connacht claiming wins over the Ospreys and Glasgow and Ulster edging Zebre and the Bulls.

Connacht have been the more impressive of the two and while it’s very early days, I expect them to make the playoffs. They’ve come out confident and clinical, while they also contest lineouts particularly well, and will be a tough nut to crack at home.

Ulster are generally the stronger team, but Connacht did prevail the last time they met and have shown enough over the last fortnight to back in their backyard.

Benetton v Lions

Sunday, 5 November – 15:30

The Lions of Italy defend their turf against the pride of Johannesburg. Though winless, Marius Louw and company have shown promise over the first two weeks and were gutsy in the Scottish capital to nearly edge Edinburgh last weekend.

Benetton, meanwhile, have looked the business and are unbeaten as a result. They are strong and structured and know how tricky and tenacious the Lions are as they are yet to beat them.

After conceding a late try that saw the match against Munster end in a draw last weekend, the men from Treviso will be switched on for the full 80 minutes, which should carry them to victory.