URC, Round Two - Teams and Predictions
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: The Bulls will be looking to build on their second-half performance against the Ospreys last weekend when they welcome Leinster to Loftus Versfeld.
Johan Ackermann’s side kicked off their campaign with a nervy 53-40 win in that match after scoring six tries in the second 40.
The hosts’ only defeat in their last 10 URC matches was by 7-32 to the Irish giants in the Grand Final at Dublin’s Croke Park last year, but the men from Pretoria are on a seven-match win streak at Loftus Versfeld and will also take confidence from the Stormers’ big win against Leinster last weekend.
It was the second time in the history of the competition that Leinster failed to score a point in a match – the last time was in September 2008 when they lost 0-18 to Munster.
Amazingly enough, Leinster have won only twice in South Africa since November 2018 – in April 2023 by 39-36 over the Lions in Johannesburg, and by 10-7 over the Sharks in Durban last March.
The two sides have met on seven previous occasions, with the Bulls having the edge by four wins to three. Leinster have also never won at Loftus Versfeld.
“We know Leinster are the best team in the competition, so they’ll definitely finish you if they get the same opportunities [as the Ospreys last week],” said Bulls head coach Johann Ackermann.
“They will come for us, for sure.
“That Leinster – against the Stormers – we won’t see again.
“They’ll want to rectify that. We expect a lot more pressure than last week.”
Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde is also expecting a huge improvement from his side.
“Everyone is scratching their heads with regard to where Friday night came from, really. We didn’t see that coming,” said McBryde.
“But listen, nothing focuses the mind better than the Bulls on Saturday, next up. So, you know, there are going to be similar challenges for us on Saturday.
“They’re very strong up front, you know, again, they’re one of the most consistent teams in the URC, three-time finalists. Then you’ve got the added spice of last year’s final, where we beat them, so they’ll be up for revenge, etc.
“So, it really is backs to the wall and we’ve got to give a much better account of ourselves on Saturday.”
Saturday’s other matches will see Connacht at home against Scarlets, while Benetton will be up against Glasgow Warriors.
Munster will be the favourites in their match against Cardiff at Thomond Park.
Meanwhile, the Lions will be up against a resurgent Zebre Parma, who started their new campaign with a 31-28 win over Edinburgh last weekend – only the second time they have begun a URC season with a victory.
Zebre have struggled against South African teams, and the Lions will hope to continue with that dominance – the Italians’ only win over a SA opponent since January 2020 was by 12-10 over the Sharks in Parma in November 2023.
But the Lions will also be mindful of their own form on the road – they have not won away from home in the URC since their last visit to Parma, almost a year ago on 19 October 2024, when they beat Zebre by 10-9.
“Zebre is a team that’s improved significantly over the past few years,” said Lions forwards coach Barend Pieterse.
“It’s not just about guts anymore; they’ve got a good system and coaches, and you can see they’re well drilled.
“They’ve got dangerous attackers and a good backline. If we make the game too loose, they’ll be very dangerous.”
See below for Saturday and Sunday’s teams and predictions!
Saturday, October 4:
Connacht v Scarlets
(Dexcom Stadium, Galway – Kick-off: 13.45; 12.45 GMT)
Prediction
Rugby365: Connacht by nine points.
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Sean Naughton, 14 Chay Mullins, 13 David Hawkshaw, 12 Cathal Forde, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Ben Murphy, 8 Sean Jansen, 7 Paul Boyle, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Darragh Murray, 3 Jack Aungier, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Eoin de Buitléar, 17 Jordan Duggan, 18 Sam Illo, 19 David O’Connor, 20 Sean O’Brien, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 Hugh Gavin, 23 Finn Treacy.
Scarlets: 15 Blair Murray,14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams (captain), 11 Ellis Mee, 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 5 Jake Ball, 4 Max Douglas, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Harry Thomas, 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Tristan Davies, 20 Osian Williams, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Ioan Nicholas, 23 Macs Page.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland), Max Weston (Ireland)
TMO: Colin Brett (Scotland)
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
(Stadio Monigo, Treviso – Kick-off: 18.30; 17.30 Ireland & UK time; 16.30 GMT)
Prediction
Rugby365: Glasgow by six points.
Teams:
Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Paolo Odogwu, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Riccardo Favretto, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Siua Maile, 1 Mirco Spagnolo.
Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Lorenzo Cannone, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Giuliano Avaca, 23 Rhyno Smith.
Glasgow Warriors: Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (c), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Macenzzie Duncan, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Jare Oguntibeju, 3 Fin Richardson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Patrick Schickerling, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Scott Cummings, 21 Euan Ferrie, 22 George Horne, 23 Dan Lancaster.
Referee: Ben Connor (Wales)
Assistant referees: Franco Rosella (Italy), Lorenzo Pedezzi (Italy)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)
Bulls v Leinster
(Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – Kick-off: 18.30; 17.30 Ireland & UK time; 16.30 GMT)
Prediction
Rugby365: Bulls by 13 points.
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Mpilo Gumede, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Juann Else, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Willie le Roux.
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Hugh Cooney, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Andrew Osborne, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath (captain), 8 Max Deegan, 7 Will Connors, 6 Alex Soroka, 5 Ryan Baird, 4 Brian Deeny, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 Paddy McCarthy.
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Diarmuid Mangan, 20 Scott Penny, 21 James Culhane, 22 Fintan Gunne, 23 Ciarán Frawley.
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sean Miller (South Africa), AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Munster v Cardiff
(Thomond Park, Limerick – Kick-off: 19.45; 18.45 GMT)
Prediction
Rugby365: Munster by 16 points.
Teams:
Munster: 15 Ben O’Connor, 14 Shane Daly, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Ethan Coughlan, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 Ruadhán Quinn, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Oli Jager, 2 Niall Scannell (captain), 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Ronan Foxe, 19 Jack O’Donoghue, 20 Brian Gleeson, 21 Paddy Patterson, 22 Tony Butler, 23 Seán O’Brien.
Cardiff: 15 Jacob Beetham, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Harri Millard, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Javan Sebastian, 2 Liam Belcher (captain), 1 Danny Southworth.
Replacements: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Rhys Barratt, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Ben Donnell, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Steff Emanuel.
Referee: Griffon Colby (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Keane Davison (Ireland), Shane Gaughan (Ireland)
TMO: Chris Allison (South Africa)
Sunday, October 5:
Zebre Parma v Lions
(Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 SAST; 13.00 GMT)
Prediction
Rugby365: Zebre Parma by five points
Teams:
Zebre Parma: 15 Giovanni Montemauri, 14 Mirko Belloni, 13 Giulio Bertaccini, 12 Damiano Mazza, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giacomo Da Re, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Davide Ruggeri, 7 Bautista Stavile, 6 Samuele Locatelli, 5 Leonard Krumov (captain), 4 Alessandro Ortombina, 3 Ion Neculai, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Muhamed Hasa.
Replacements: 16 Giampietro Ribaldi, 17 Juan Pitinari, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Guido Volpi, 20 Giacomo Ferrari, 21 Thomas Dominguez, 22 Marco Zanon, 22 Martin Roger Farias.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 RF Schoeman, 2 Franco Marais, 1 SJ Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Heiko Pohlmann, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Darrien Landsberg, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Haashim Pead, 22 Lubabalo Dobela, 23 Rynhardt Jonker.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Manuel Bottino (Italy), Luca Bisetto (Italy)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)
