United Rugby Championship, Saturday 17th February, Betting preview
The 10th round of the URC has dished up two tasty South African derbies, the Lions versus the Bulls and the Sharks against the Stormers. In this article, 'The Don' will analyse the betting odds for both matches.
The Lions, having won only four of their nine games so far, are currently in 10th place with 24 points. Their recent form has been promising, with only one narrow loss to The Bulls where they could have won it with a late penalty. Their other two games included a 49-24 home victory over the Dragons and an 18-20 away win over the Sharks.
The Bulls have won 6 out of the nine games in the tournament so far, earning them 30 points and placing them in 4th position on the table. In their three most recent games, they faced fellow South African sides, securing two wins. The first was a convincing 44-10 victory at home against the Sharks, followed by a 26-20 loss away to the Stormers, and most recently, a narrow 30-28 home win over the Lions.
Betting
Lions 2.80
Draw 22.00
Bulls 1.51
Verdict
Although the Lions came close to defeating the Bulls in the last match, they fell short. Back at home and with lessons learnt I am looking for the Lions to go close or win.
The Dons Play
Handicap lions (+4.5) at 1.84
To Bet on The Lions vs The Bulls – Click Here
The Sharks have had a poor start to the season, winning only one of the nine games they've played so far, placing them at the bottom of the table. Like the Stormers, the Sharks' last three games were all against South African sides, but they failed to secure a victory in any of them. These games included a 44-10 loss to the Bulls, an 18-20 loss to the Lions, and a 16-15 loss to the Stormers.
In contrast, the Stormers have been more successful in the tournament, winning five out of the nine games they've played, placing them 7th on the table. Unlike the Sharks, the Stormers won all of their last three games, including a 31-7 victory over Zebre, a 26-20 victory over the Bulls, and a 16-15 victory over the Sharks.
Betting
The Sharks 2.41
Draw 24.00
The Stormers 1.63
Verdict
With the Stormers in much better form and the Sharks battling to find any rhythm, I am betting on an away win by 3 points or more.
The Dons Play
Handicap Stormers (-2.5) at 1.82
To Bet on The Sharks vs The Stormers – Click Here
*All prices are subject to change
Tags:
Lions vs Bulls, Sharks vs Stormers, United Rugby Championship, Saturday 17th February