Glasgow Warriors vs Ulster Rugby Preview
The United Rugby Championship has been full of surprises this season. Teams have certainly missed their World Cup players, and only five points separate the top seven. This week we have a thrilling matchup as second in the table hosts third on Saturday, November 25, at 7:35 PM. With two points between the sides, the winner could go top of the table if league leaders Leinster drop points to Munster.
Glasgow vs Ulster takes place at the Scotstoun Stadium, an iconic sports ground with a capacity of 10,000. Both sides are full of confidence going into this game week having won their previous matches. Glasgow outworked Benetton at home, winning 26-12, even with two yellow cards. Ulster capitalised on their victory over Munster by coming from behind three times to defeat the Lions. It’s too early to think about a title race, but whatever happens this weekend, we are in for an exciting season of rugby.
Glasgow Warriors vs Ulster Rugby Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The sides have met several times in recent seasons, including in October 2023 for a pre-season friendly. While warmup games do not represent how the teams will perform in a league match, Ulster were the narrow winners in a contest that finished 19-14. The hosts scored all 19 points in the first half, leaving Glasgow with a mountain to climb across the two periods. As it was a non-competitive Rugby Union game, it won’t tell us much about the upcoming fixture.
The last URC meeting between the clubs came in February 2023. Glasgow was at home, and they came out on top with a score of 17-11. The Warriors got the first score of the game, a Sione Vailanu try inside 20 minutes. Harry Sheridan levelled things up with a score ten minutes later and a penalty from Nathan Doak saw the visitors lead at halftime. Two scores in the second half took the game away from Ulster, and a late penalty from John Cooney was only a consolation. Interestingly, there were four tries in the match but only one conversion.
Traditionally in this fixture, the home side is the one to come out on top. In the most recent ten meetings between the clubs, the hosts have won on eight occasions. The only two matches where the home side lost have been in Glasgow. In February 2021, Ulster travelled to Scotland and came away the winners. The match was tense throughout, with the visitors leading 3-7 at the break. Ulster took a 6-19 lead towards the end and a late yellow card for Alby Mathewson got the home side within six points. However, it was too late in the day for a turnaround, and Glasgow lost 13-19.
| Team | P | W | D | L | Diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leinster | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +84 | 20 |
| Glasgow | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +43 | 20 |
| Ulster | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +23 | 18 |
| Connacht | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +16 | 18 |
| Edinburgh | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +8 | 17 |
| Munster | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +44 | 17 |
| Bulls | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | +58 | 15 |
| Benetton | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -5 | 14 |
| Stormers | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | +26 | 12 |
| Zebre | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -30 | 11 |
| Ospreys | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -14 | 10 |
| Cardiff | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -6 | 9 |
| Lions | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -14 | 9 |
| Dragons | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -51 | 6 |
| Scarlets | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -131 | 6 |
| Sharks | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -51 | 2 |
Looking at the recent games from either side, they have a lot to cheer about. Glasgow performed the season’s first upset, defeating Leinster 43-25. They have also convincingly beaten the Stormers, Ospreys, and Benetton. The only defeat they have suffered so far is on the road to Connacht in the second game week. Both Connacht and Glasgow have surprised many in the United Rugby Championship, but it’s the Scottish side who are level with Leinster at the top of the table.
Ulster’s last match was against the Lions. Everyone expected Ulster to win against the team with only one victory this season, but it was a much closer game than anyone predicted. The Lions took the lead in the first half and got the first score of the game. Ulster tied things up early in the second half, but the Lions responded to leave the score 14-17. However, the leaky Lion defence only held on for two minutes before Ulster went ahead again. This time, the visitors had no response, and the score finished 24-17.
Both teams have only lost one game this season at the hands of Connacht. Glasgow’s performances this season have been a pleasant surprise, taking full advantage of sides with squad members resting from the World Cup. Betting on Glasgow seems the better option this week, but that does not mean it will be a straightforward game. Ulster has beaten the Scots on their turf in previous seasons. Do they have the personnel to do it again this year?
Glasgow Warriors vs Ulster Rugby Predictions
We predict Glasgow to win on the weekend and beat Ulster by seven points or fewer. Looking at the rugby markets at Novibet, it appears the bookmaker agrees. Glasgow, to win by any scoreline, has odds of 2/5, which returns €14 from a ten-euro bet. The bookie has given Ulster odds of 11/5 to beat the Scots. Betting €10 on this outcome will yield €32 if the visitors can perform an upset. Draws are uncommon in rugby, and the odds of a tie in this fixture are 20/1.
Glasgow being the favourites is no surprise, given their league position and home advantage. The Scottish side has been worthy winners in their recent games, including a 20-9 victory over the Stormers and 26-12 over Benetton. Plus, they dominated the first game of the season against Leinster, a game that saw three yellow cards and 68 points scored by both sides. Ulster has won games by much tighter margins this season. Their best point-scoring display was also in the first week of the season, narrowly beating Zebre 36-40.
The Ulster defence has not been the best in the league so far, but we expect the visitors to hold Glasgow to a respectable scoreline. Our prediction sees the home side securing the bragging rights by around seven points. The game will be tight and closely contested, including a low-scoring first half while each side probes the other for weakness. The combined score of the match should be around the 40-to-50-point mark.
If you were to use a welcome bonus on this fixture, you are better off going for precise markets rather than the overall winner. The odds for predicting the scoreline or handicap are much more rewarding compared to an outright victory. The Warriors to overcome a -6.5 handicap will pay 10/11. Or Glasgow to win by one to seven points has odds of 11/4. A €10 wager on these markets will return €19.09 and €37.50, respectively.
You never know how a rugby union game will go, which is why it pays to look at different bets before putting money on the line. If you fancy making live wagers on this fixture, we often attempt to predict the next try scorer or which team will score more in the half. If there is an early red card for the visitors, waiting until game day can help you avoid losing money on underdog bets. Given the performances on either side, a red card seems unlikely, but both have received multiple yellows already this season.
Glasgow Warriors vs Ulster Rugby Betting Tips
United Rugby Championship betting odds change throughout the week, but not by much. If you are hoping for the favourites in this fixture to increase or decrease in odds, you will be disappointed. Any change to the odds until the match begins will be small, especially since there are dozens of other rugby markets for you to bet on instead. Sure, placing a bet on Glasgow to win by any scoreline is more likely to come true, but if you are more precise with your predictions, you can win more.
Betting on Glasgow to win by a certain number of points is significantly more rewarding. You can bet on the winning margin at Novibet on all Rugby Union games. Glasgow to win by one to seven points has the same odds as the Warriors winning by 15 or more, 11/4. That means Glasgow is as likely to beat Ulster narrowly as they are to run away with the game. Looking at the team sheet, Glasgow rested a lot of key players last week. Could they all return to the game against Ulster?
Besides the full-time markets, there are other rugby betting options to consider. If you want a chance at almost doubling your money, predicting the highest-scoring half is a good way to go. We believe the first half will be cagey, resulting in fewer scores. That means if you bet on the second half being higher scoring, you could win €48.81 from a €25 bet. Another alternative market is whether the total points scored will be an odd or even number. You can bet on the first half alone, or the total from both teams after 80 minutes. All markets have odds of 22/25 for this rugby fixture.
Every game of rugby is important, but when second place in the league plays third, you can’t help but get a little more invested. Glasgow should win on account of how well they have played so far, and they are at home. However, Ulster is not a team to underestimate at any point in the season. They did drop points on the road to Connacht, but that was a very close game separated by two points. If Glasgow is going to win, Ulster is going to ensure they work hard for it.
One more aspect to consider before you place a bet on this rugby match is the injury list. Below, we outline the unavailable players from both squads and who we think will make the starting lineup on the weekend. Do not gamble on a player’s fitness. Often if they are not 100% fit, they won’t play.
Glasgow Warriors Lineup
Glasgow has a sizeable injury list and one player suspended for the match against Ulster. Duncan Weir received a three-match suspension for a dangerous tackle in the win at the Ospreys. Besides Weir, seven other players are unavailable for the important clash. Fraser Brown, Jamie Dobie, Facundo Cordero, Huw Jones, JP du Preez, Murphy Walker, and Kyle Steyn are all recovering from various injuries. Dobie underwent surgery and will be out of action for a considerable time.
- Glasgow Predicted Lineup: J. Bhatti, J. Matthews, L. Sordoni, G. Peterson, R. Gray, M. Fagerson, R. Darge, S. Vailanu, G. Horne, T. Jordan, K, Rowe, S. McDowell, S. Tuipultou, S. Cancilliere, and J. Mckay.
Ulster Rugby Lineup
Head coach Dan McFarland has managed multiple injuries this season, possibly due to the new artificial surface at Ulster’s home ground. However, certain players are edging towards a return date. Jacob Stockdale, Michael Lowry, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, and Jude Jude Postlethwaite have missed the past few games. Cormac Izuchukwu and Dave Ewers returned to action last week after following concussion protocols. Ethan McIlroy suffered a facial fracture and concussion against Munster a couple of weeks back and will not make his return this weekend.
- Ulster Predicted Lineup: A. Warwick, J. French, G. McGrath, C. Izuchukwu, I. Henderson, D. Ewers, R. Crothers, N. Timoney, N. Doak, J. Flannery, J. Stockdale, S. McCloskey, J. Hume, R. Baloucoune, and S. Moore.
