URC Round Six - Teams and Predictions
FRIDAY PREVIEW: The Bulls will be desperate to bounce back from two away defeats as they enter their final tour game against the seventh-placed Benetton in Italy.
However, given the close margins between the teams in the competition so far it is expected to be a humdinger.
Both teams have won three of their five matches to date, with the sides currently tied on 14 log points, but the Pretoria side’s favourable points difference bolstered by a slightly better attack and defence nudged them one place higher on the standings.
The Bulls were left disappointed in the last two weeks, going down against the Glasgow Warriors and Munster after surging to a strong start in the competition with three victories in a row in South Africa, and they will be determined to change their fortunes this week.
This will be the Bulls’ first visit to Stadio Monigo since their horror game in the final of the Rainbow Cup and it comes at a crucial juncture for Jake White’s side.
Benetton are unbeaten at home this season and have rested players last week for this clash, so it’s sure to be a cracker.
“They [Benetton] take home games very seriously,” said White.
“The last time they lost a home game I think was in April this year and that was to Connacht (17-21).
“They rested a lot of their main players last week and I think that result against Edinburgh is a little bit skewed.
“I spoke to their coaches this week and they got 19 players called up for the national camp which starts on Sunday.
“I don’t think it is an ambush anymore, I think it is a reality that it is a very good team and they are not as poor as people think they are.
“I think the old days of thinking the Italian sides are weaker are long gone.
“In the last [Six Nations] Test they played they beat Wales.
“It’s going to be a tough game and we just got to make sure that we play better and get things right.”
Benetton head coach Marco Bortolami has made it clear what his team will need to do to get back to winning ways on Friday.
“The Bulls base their game on the domination of static phases and for which it will be important to be solid,” said Bortolami.
“They play a very direct game of winning the advantage line so we will have to win collisions to block their play.
“Discipline will be very important in order not to give them chance to play in our 22m.”
The preview continues below…
🎯 @SharksRugby’s Boeta Chamberlain
🔥 @LionsRugbyCo v @UlsterRugby
👏 BIG win for @MunsterRugby @ThePaulWilliams Column is HERE! 🎥🙌 #BKTURC #URC pic.twitter.com/YJT8y8bpSw— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) October 19, 2022
Meanwhile, Friday’s other game will see Connacht host the Scarlets in Galway.
Connacht are coming off a tough 0-10 defeat to Leinster and they will be looking to get that winning feeling back before they go on a break.
“We’ve had a tough start to the season, but if we can pick up a couple of wins in these last two rounds before the November break, then we’ll put ourselves in a much better position heading into the next block,” said Connacht Director of Rugby Andy Friend.
“The Scarlets are always a difficult team to face as they have quality players across the park. There’s nearly always one score separating the two sides at full-time, so it’ll no doubt be a tight affair.
“We need to ensure we bring the intent and physicality that we’ve shown in the last two matches, as well as improving our ability to finish the multiple opportunities that we’re creating. If we can do that, then we’ll put ourselves in a great position to obtain the result that we’re all chasing.”
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel believes the “fundamentals” of the game will be more important in that clash in Galway.
“It is a big challenge ahead. With Connacht, the last two weeks have shown us that they have come out of the blocks hard against Munster and Leinster,” said Peel.
“It is going to be a big physical challenge for us. We need to plan for that and make sure when we get opportunities we take them.
“The fundamentals of the game when you go there are so important, the ability to field kicks, your ability to cover backfield, kick well and physicality, that is the challenge. If we can get on top of the fundamentals we give ourselves a chance.”
*All of Friday’s teams and predictions follow below …
Benetton v Bulls
(Stadio Monigo, Treviso – Kick-off: 18.30; 18.30 SA time; 16.30 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Bulls by five points.
Teams:
Benetton: 15 Giacomo Da Re, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Ignacio Brex, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Mattia Bellini, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage (captain), 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro, 6 Manuel Zuliani, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Scott Scrafton, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Ivan Nemer.
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Toa Halafihi, 21 Manfredi Albanese, 22 Tommaso Menoncello, 23 Marcus Watson.
Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 David Kriel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Wandisile Simelane, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Marco van Staden, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Janko Swanepoel, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Walt Steenkamp, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Stravino Jacobs.
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Filippo Russo (Italy), Alex Frasson (Italy)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Connacht v Scarlets
(The Sportsground, Galway – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Connacht by eight points.
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 John Porch, 13 Byron Ralston, 12 David Hawkshaw, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty (captain), 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Leva Fifita, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Jordan Duggan, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Colm Reilly, 22 Cathal Forde, 23 Alex Wootton.
Scarlets: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Steff Evans, 12 Jonathan Davies (captain), 11 Ryan Conbeer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Josh Macleod, 5 Tom Price, 4 Jac Price, 3 Harri O’Connor, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Steff Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Iwan Shenton, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Corey Baldwin.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Morne Ferriera (South Africa), Padraic Reidy (Ireland)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
