There are three URC games this Friday, and we will preview two of them. One is in Edinburgh, where hosts await the Bulls, while the other is in Bridgend, where Ospreys meet Lions.

When looking at the rugby odds, the Ospreys are solid favorites here, while in the other matchup, the Bulls’ chances are slightly better than Edinburgh’s.

Check out our previews for these matches, and find useful info that could be of help when it comes to rugby betting.

Edinburgh Rugby VS Bulls

For the moment, Edinburgh is 10th in the URC standings, having just three wins in 8 appearances. However, things are not that bad for Rugby, who still has a nice chance to reach the top 8, because of a game in hand they have over some of the rivals sitting ahead of them with two points more.

January was a quiet month for the Scots in URC terms, with Edinburgh’s only league outing seeing them edge past Benetton 15–14 in Italy. Their other victories have all come at Hive Stadium, highlighted by an emphatic 43–0 win over Benetton earlier in the season and a narrow 19–17 success against the Ospreys. This fixture also marks their first URC encounter with South African opposition this campaign.

Bulls are right behind Edinburg, having the same record of three wins and five losses so far. After starting the campaign with wins over Ospreys, Leinster, and Connacht, they completely fell apart, losing games in streaks and not being able to get out of the hole they fell into earlier.

The Pretoria side is currently on a four-game losing streak in the URC, beginning with a defeat away to Glasgow Warriors and followed by three consecutive South African derby losses against the Lions, Sharks, and Stormers. In Europe, however, a late 26–24 win at Section Paloise saw the Bulls sneak into the Champions Cup knockout stages, where they will face Glasgow Warriors in the Round of 16.

From this perspective, it’s wise to bet on Edinburgh given the home-field edge and the Bulls’ terrible form. Yes, both teams are close when it comes to quality, but on the other hand, the venue and the current momentum are on Edinburgh’s side.

Ospreys VS Lions Preview

The home team has 3 wins, 5 defeats, and a tie, and sits 9th with 18 log points. They are one point behind Benetton, with whom they are racing for the playoff spot. After opening the campaign with two losses in South Africa, one to the Bulls, 53-40, and the other to the Stormers, 26-10, they’ve significantly improved and are now in the playoff battle.

Right now, they are coming off back-to-back wins over the Scarlets and Cardiff, and are also in the qualification process for the knockout stage in European action. Their next rival in this competition is Ulster.

Lions are 7th, which means the game against the Ospreys is a direct battle for the playoffs, and that makes it even more important for both teams. In situations like these, the win is worth double because it’s not about winning the points but preventing the rivals from reaching them.

Lions have 4 wins and losses each, but in the past 5 games this team is 4-1, with the sole loss coming to Stormers in Cape Town. This unit doesn’t have any other competitions besides this one, because their adventure in the Challenge Cup ended, and they are solely focused on chasing the URC playoffs.

We have no doubt here, and we recommend betting on the Lions. They look very good lately and have the momentum.

 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here