DHL Stormers vs Leinster Rugby Preview
In their 15th game of the United Rugby Championship, the DHL Stormers face off against the league’s strongest team. The South African side hosts Leinster Rugby at the DHL Stadium on Saturday. Kick-off is at 6:05 PM. John Dobson’s side is sixth in the URC, sitting 14 points behind the Irishmen in the standings.
Leinster must up their game against the Stormers, after suffering a shock defeat against the Emirates Lions in their most recent contest. The Lions defeated the Irishmen 44-12, with Leinster scoring zero points in the second half. The Stormers also lost their latest outing, with the Ospreys narrowly beating them by six points. But can Leinster get back to winning ways this weekend?
DHL Stormers vs Leinster Rugby Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Despite Leinster Rugby’s superiority in the United Rugby Championship this season, the DHL Stormers have plenty of reasons to be confident. During their latest two meetings, the South Africans were awkward customers for the Irishmen. Their latest clash in the URC was exhilarating from start to finish, and nothing could separate the two sides.
Leinster hosted the latest contest between the two sides. However, their home-ground advantage didn’t help them against a surprisingly tough Stormers side. The South Africans started strongly in the first half, scoring back-to-back unanswered tries. Manie Libbok got the Stormers on the board after eight minutes, converting a close-range drop goal. Libbok caused Leinster problems throughout the game and got the opening try in the 22nd minute.
The South African side led 10-0 after Libbok’s two-point conversion. The last stages of the half had a thrilling end, with Suleiman Hartzenberg getting the Stormers’ second try. Leinster finally responded after another Libbok conversion. Michael Milne used all his strength to get over the goal line, but the Irishmen trailed the Stormers by 12 points at the break.
The second half was just as entertaining as the first. Leinster showed their class, quickly reducing the deficit via Scott Penny. Penny scored the opening try of the half after just three minutes. The Irishmen got within two points of the Stormers thanks to Rob Russell diving over the line. A bonus point try by Max Deegan and a two-point conversion from Harry Byrne gave Leinster a 22-17 lead, but the South Africans didn’t give up. Clayton Blommetjies got the last try in the 70th minute, levelling the contest. Draws are rare in the United Rugby Championship, but this contest finished 22-22 after 80 minutes of rugby.
Leinster Rugby visited the DHL Stormers in the 17th round of the United Rugby Championship during the 2021/22 season. The first half was cagey, with limited points scored from both sides. Leinster was the better team, taking a 6-3 lead after Ciaran Frawley scored two penalties.
However, the Stormers were the stronger side in the second half. Warrick Gelant got the South African’s opening try, and Seabelo Senatla increased their lead to 13-6. Ed Byrne returned fire for Leinster, with Harry Byrne’s conversion levelling the score. The game was equal at 13-13, but a penalty try led to a seven-point gain for the Stormers. The Stormers won the contest 20-13 after the Irishmen purposefully kicked the ball into touch, gaining them a vital losing bonus point.
The Stormers are sixth in the United Rugby Championship, trailing Leinster Rugby by 14 points. When analysing the statistics, it’s easy to see why the Irishmen are the best team in the league. Leinster has scored 62 tries in 14 games, getting 427 points in total. The Stormers have only scored 43 tries, but they’ve amassed an impressive 337 points across their 14 URC contests. The Irishmen are one of the strongest teams in the scrum, winning 94% in the URC. However, the Stormers are also competitive in scrums, with an 88% success rate.
DHL Stormers vs Leinster Rugby Predictions
Correct Score Prediction: DHL Stormers 22-27 Leinster Rugby
Just four games remain in the United Rugby Championship, and Leinster Rugby is at the top. The Irishmen take on the DHL Stormers this weekend. Many expect the Stormers to win despite the standings suggesting an Irish triumph. However, we predict Leinster will get a narrow victory against the South Africans. Their previous meetings were competitive, so we forecast just five points separating the sides.
Leinster performed poorly against the Emirates Lions in their latest outing. The Irishmen scored just 12 points during their defeat. However, we predict Leinster will do much better versus the Stormers. The South African side also lost their most recent game but scored 21 points. Our correct score prediction for this weekend’s contest is a Leinster 27-22 win over the Stormers. Leinster has scored over 30 points in six of their previous seven games, so we expect them to return to their high-scoring ways and beat John Dobson’s team.
You can’t beat watching an action-packed rugby game with plenty of tries. Wagering on try scorers is also lots of fun when betting on the United Rugby Championship. Leinster and the DHL Stormers have interesting options when looking for potential scorers. Rob Russell is the Irishmen’s leading try scorer, with six in the URC. The Stormers’ leading man Evan Roos also has six, and we predict both players will score a try on the weekend. Roos has more motivation to make a statement, as the upcoming contest is his 50th game for the South African side.
Both sides have remained disciplined for most of the URC season, with Leinster receiving just four yellow cards in 14 games. The DHL Stormers picked up seven. When betting on rugby union events, forecasting the number of cards can return profitable wagers. We predict the Irishmen will get under 0.5 cards, but we expect the Stormers to collect one yellow card on Saturday. Joseph Dweba committed only two penalties while playing for the Stormers, resulting in a yellow card. We predict Dweba will get his second yellow card of the season in this contest.
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DHL Stormers vs Leinster Rugby Betting Tips
Leinster is the best team in the United Rugby Championship, but they’re underdogs this weekend. Our online sports betting site has Leinster at 6/1 against the DHL Stormers. The South African side is the odds-on favourite at 1/11. However, we predicted a win for the Irishmen, so betting on Leinster at 6/1 is an amazing chance to cash in on the dominant Irish team. The sides drew 22-22 during the 2021/22 season, but we don’t forecast another draw on Saturday. The odds of a draw are 33/1, returning €340 from a €10 bet.
The handicap market offers one of the best bets this weekend. Betting on Leinster +15.5 returns €9 from a €5 bet. That means if the Irishmen lose by 15 points or fewer, the wager will still return a profit. Leinster has won eight out of their last ten games, losing by a 32-point margin against the Emirates Lions in their latest outing. The previous meetings between Leinster and the Stormers were close, so we don’t expect the Irish side to repeat their Lions performance.
Using your bonus funds on the winning margin market is fantastic if you’re confident in a Leinster victory. New Novibet customers can receive a welcome bonus upon signing up, and using your bonus on Leinster to win by one to seven points is our tip. The winning margin market allows for wider margins, but our correct score prediction forecasts Leinster winning by five points.
Most of our rugby betting tips require you to wait the entire game until cashing-in your winnings. However, Novibet offers exceptional live betting features for punters who prefer placing quick wagers while the game is ongoing. One of the best options is betting on the first-half winner. Even if you don’t think Leinster will win the game, backing them at 14/5 to win the opening 40 minutes is an exciting bet. The Stormers are 1/4 to win the first half, representing greater value than betting on the South African side to win outright.
All to play for against Leinster at DHL Stadium on Saturday in @evanroos4's 50th DHL Stormers match.
🎟️ Get your tickets https://t.co/1sjJ1AF9gX#STOvLEI #iamastormer #dhldelivers @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/8y5qIqIsN5
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) April 24, 2024
DHL Stormers Team News
The DHL Stormers have caused issues for the South Africa national team ahead of their three-test tour. Manie Libbok and Frans Malherbe are important players for the Stormers, and they intend to keep hold of them for the upcoming United Rugby Championship fixtures. Malherbe is a vital part of the Stormers’ defence. During his three URC outings for the South African side, Malherbe has completed 100% of his tackles. The Leinster game will be a special moment for Evan Roos. The flanker will make his 50th Stormers appearance against the Irishmen. Roos is having an amazing season in the URC, getting more tries and carries than any other Stormers player.
Leinster Rugby Team News
Leinster Rugby is monitoring the condition of six players ahead of their United Rugby Championship clash against the DHL Stormers. Charlie Ngatai and Cormac Foley should be ready to face the Stormers after recovering from their injuries. Jimmy O’Brien is nursing a neck injury and the Leinster medical team is assessing him. Garry Ringrose and Hugo Keenan are unlikely to feature. Brian Deeny didn’t play against the Emirates Lions and remains a doubt this weekend.
