Benetton Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Preview
The United Rugby Championship continues this week, and we have a big clash to talk about. Benetton vs Connacht is one of many highlights this week, and the game kicks off at 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 30th. The teams are level on points heading into round 13 of the URC, but who will come out on top?
Benetton surprised everyone this season, competing with Leinster for the top spot in the league table. After three losses in a row, they are back in the mix for the final European Rugby Champions Cup positions. Connacht has been through multiple rough patches this season, including dropping out of the Champions Cup a few months ago. Both sides need a win to get more points on the board and take some confidence into the next round of cup fixtures.
Benetton Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The two sides have met several times in recent years, including some fixtures in cup competitions. The last time the two clubs faced off was in the European Rugby Challenge Cup in April 2023, Benetton was the clear winner. Looking just at the league meetings in the URC, Connacht has the advantage. The Irish side has won the last nine matches against the Italians, excluding cup meetings.
Looking at when Benetton hosted Connacht in the cup, the Italians came out on top. The Irish side started strongly, scoring 12 points in the first 20 minutes. The hosts responded with a flurry of tries, three before the end of the half. It finished 21-12, and you would have bet on Connacht to make a comeback. However, after the restart, the Italians scored again with a try from Padovani and Watson. A late Porch try offered no consolation as Benetton scored again to wrap the game up 41-19.
In the Challenge Cup meeting, Connacht picked up a late yellow card, but it was too late to affect the scoreline. In the most recent league fixture in December 2022, a red card for Scafton took the game away from Benetton late in the second half. Connacht led the opening half 17-7 with scores from Murray and Boyle. The second half looked much closer as the Italians responded with a Zanon try. However, the red card ended Benetton’s hopes and finished 38-19.
Looking at the league form, both sides faced defeat last week in the URC. Benetton had a trip to the Scarlets in a low-scoring game where they lost by three points at the final whistle. It finished 16-13, and the Italian side faced their third consecutive defeat. Connacht was on a three-game-winning run when they faced the Lions at home. When the away side got a red card in the 17th minute, you would have bet your house on Connacht taking the win. However, they were outclassed and lost 14-38 to the Lions with 14 men.
Benetton Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Predictions
Prediction: Benetton Treviso 16-21 Connacht
Although both sides head into this contest on the back of URC defeats, the advantage still lies with the Irish side. Benetton was the biggest surprise in the league until February, and now, they found themselves on a three-match losing streak. We predict Connacht will start strongly and lead throughout the match. Benetton will hit back after halftime, but Connacht should edge this match by five points at the final whistle.
Predicting rugby matches this week is troublesome as some teams have one eye on the next round of the cup. Connacht has dropped from the Champions to the Challenge Cup, which is probably for the best. They only won one match during the group stage, and the string of losses would have affected the team’s morale. Benetton were flying high in the league and the cup until recently. However, the string of URC defeats will motivate them to get a result this week before the next round of the cup competition.
Looking at Benetton’s last game, it will disappoint them tremendously as they let the lead slip with the clock in the red. After taking a 3-13 lead at halftime, a win for the Italians looked assured. However, the Scarlets fought back and scored a try in the 84th minute of the game. A loss right at the death would have crushed Italian spirits. This fixture will be a big test of character. Can they bounce back this weekend against Connacht?
Although we are backing the Irish side to win on Saturday, the last match was also worrying. When the Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye picked up a straight red card, you would think the advantage would lie with the home side. However, the 14 men from South Africa dominated Connacht for the entire game. It was always going to be a closer game than our betting site suggested, but it swung in favour of the underdogs from minute one.
Betting on Connacht to win still feels like the safest option, especially given they could not hold on to a much-needed win last week against the Scarlets. Connacht has more offensive firepower than the Welsh side. Plus, if they can get Bundee Aki back in the squad, they can blow the Italians out of the water.
Benetton Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Betting Tips
This week, we are going to bet on the underdog. Betting on URC matches is always difficult as the league is very competitive. Often, in games with a clear favourite, the underdog can step up and provide a scintillating result. That is what we are banking on this weekend, as Connacht is the clear underdog at our sports betting site. If our prediction is right, we stand to make a lot for going against the grain. However, this also means the risk is higher, so adjust your stake accordingly.
Betting on Benetton Treviso this week has odds of 1/4. That means a €10 wager on the home side will return as little as €2.50 in profit, plus your ten euro stake. This wager seems risky to us, as you are betting on a team to end their three-game losing streak and will get poor returns if they do so. Betting on Connacht at 14/5 will yield just under four times your stake. Placing the same value bet on the Irish side will give you €38 if they can win on the road.
Given the disparity between the home and away odds, it could be wise to look at other markets. At Novibet, you can bet on rugby matches in multiple ways, not including live bets. One of our favourites is to look at the odd or even market. Both teams finished with an even total last weekend, and betting on an even number this week will give you odds of 17/20. You can get the same odds whether you bet on the total across both halves and just the first 40 minutes.
