URC Round 3 Predictions — Catch 22 Rugby

Well… what an enthralling round of URC rugby!

We witnessed 65 tries over the eight fixtures, an average of over 1 try every ten minutes.

I only got 5 out 8 predictions correct last week. Ospreys did everything but win against the Emirates Lions, Dragons upset Munster at Rodney Parade amidst a management mess, and Glasgow Warriors finally found their groove in Scotstoun and humbled Cardiff. Those three games threw my clean-sweep out the window, but they were fantastic games nonetheless.

Few would have predicted the drama in Parma as Zebre almost pinched victory from the Sharks’ jaws of defeat; Vodacom Bulls leaving it until the last kick of the game to deny Edinburgh; and Scarlets scoring 5 tries and 39 points but still losing at home.

Now we’re on to Round 3, and here’s hoping for another try-fest!

Vodacom Bulls v Connacht

Winners: Vodacom Bulls

Connacht have struggled in both their fixture thus far, and it’ll take a monumental effort to haul themselves out of their early slump to best the Bulls in Loftus Versfeld. They’ll be without Bundee Aki following his red card last weekend, but they still have mountains of talent with the likes of Mack Hansen, Caolin Blade, Tom Farrell, and Cian Prendergast at their disposal.

Vodacom Bulls got off to a scrappy but well deserved victory over high flying Edinburgh, and will be expecting nothing less than a second home victory this weekend.

Ulster v Leinster

Winners: Ulster

A tight call, but I’m going with the home side, Ulster. They’ve looked incredibly well drilled in their first two games, putting both Connacht and Scarlets to the sword comprehensively with style and panache. They’ve a quality about them so far this season where they look like championship contenders, but this will be their defining battle this side of Christmas.

Leinster squeaked past Zebre in week one but looked far more comfortable as they romped to victory over Benetton at the RDS Arena in Dublin. This game could go either way, but I’ve been more convinced by Ulster over the last two weeks and playing at the Kingspan will be the difference in the end.

Cardiff v Emirates Lions

Winners: Cardiff

A controversial decision perhaps, after the trouncing Cardiff received last weekend and the Lions off the back of an upset in the Swansea.com Stadium. But Cardiff will want to do right by their supporters at home, and they seem to be a different team at the Arms Park.

There will likely be a few changes in the starting XV to welcome the Lions, but the inclusion of Taulupe Faletau would be a huge morale boost for them at home.

Emirates Lions were tenacious in their victory over the Ospreys. By all rights, they should have been buried by half-time, but an opportunistic try from the outstanding scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba kept them in touching distance and a late try was enough to clinch victory for the visitors. But it’s unlikely Jarrod Evans or Rhys Priestland will leave 10 points begging off the tee as happened in Swansea.

DHL Stormers v Edinburgh

Winners: Stormers

As capable as Edinburgh are of taking a South African scalp on the road, and as determined as they will be to get a much needed victory on the road, I have to give the edge to reigning champions Stormers at the DHL Stadium.

Stormers overcame Connacht last weekend and will only improve as the competition goes on. It’ll be tight, only a score in it, but Stormers should come out on top in this encounter.

Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors

Winners: Ospreys

Ospreys were just one successful kick away from maintaining an unbeaten record heading into this weekend; alas, young kicker Jack Walsh will have experienced the pressure of playing in Wales and will be better for it. Toby Booth isn’t the type of coach to allow the same mistakes to be made two weekends in a row.

Despite Glasgow’s emphatic victory over Cardiff in Glasgow, they’re still yet to get their away game on point. Swansea.com Stadium is never an easy arena to come away from without a win these days; and the Warriors will need to maintain last weekend’s intensity on the road if they want to penetrate the black wall.

Munster v Zebre Parma

Winners: Munster

Munster have gotten off to their worst start since 2004, where they didn’t claim their first win of the season until Round 5 against the Scarlets. But they then went on to finish second in the league (Dragons finished 4th and Wales won the Grand Slam… just saying). So make of that what you will .

But I simply don’t see Munster returning to Musgrave Park to be defeated by Zebre Parma. Having said that… it’s been a season of upsets so far and Zebre have been a total of nine points away from beating both Leinster and Cell C Sharks. Just one score in each game.

They’ve had the advantage of playing at home in those two games, and we’re yet to see the Italians have a go at it on the road.

Benetton v Scarlets

Winners: Benetton

This is another tough one to call. Scarlets have looked good in their opening two fixtures, despite being without a win. Their ability to score tries have kept them in the hunt and their personnel are stepping up to the plate.

Benetton are unpredictable, defeating Glasgow Warriors at home but being hammered by Leinster in Dublin. So it’ll be a fascinating watch to see which Benetton will turn up on Saturday. It could go either way, but Scarlets will need to compose themselves to come away with a win from Stadio Monigo, and it’s advantage Benetton.

Dragons RFC v Cell C Sharks

Winners: Cell C Sharks

Despite Dragons’ long awaited, euphoric victory over Munster at Rodney Parade, the result doesn’t scrub out the heavy loss to Edinburgh in week one and it doesn’t undo the issues the team have had on the field. It’s an unfortunate situation in Newport, with the limelight on the coaching set up with complications around the departure of head coach Dean Ryan and the promotion of Dai Flanagan.

Sharks had an explosive start against Zebre Parma, and I’d wager they weren’t expecting the hosts to come back with such ferocity and skill in the second half to make the game so close. There’ll be no such complacency against the Dragons and I expect the Durban outfit to try and physically close out the game before the hour mark.

United Rugby Championship - Round 3 Predictions