Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Preview
Leinster welcomes the DHL Stormers to Ireland this weekend. The Irish side looks to maintain their undefeated streak at the top of the United Rugby Championship on January 25th. The match will kick off at 5:00 pm.
The Stormers have struggled so far this season. They are floundering just below mid-table in the URC. Can the Capetonians kick-start their season with a win over the league leaders, or will Leinster continue to assert dominance over every team in the league?
Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Head-To-Head and Key Stats
These sides last met in April 2024 in the United Rugby Championship. The Stormers dominated their opponents, easing their way to a 42-12 victory at Cape Town Stadium. Leinster never looked like a match for the hosts.
The Stormers took control of the game early on when Ben Loader scored a try in the third minute to open the scoring. Manie Libbok furthered their lead with penalties in the 18th, 28th, and 30th minutes. Herschel Jantjies scored a try at the end of the half to send the Stormers up 23-0 at the break, leaving Leinster a mountain to climb.
Max Deegan and Rob Russell hit back with second-half tries, but the damage had already been done. Willie Engelbrecht, Salmaan Moerat and Warrick Gelant scored to sink the Leinster and earn a deserved victory.
The Stormers have struggled to return to the form they experienced last season. They currently sit 10th in the league with 21 points, having won four and lost four. The South African side has also struggled in the European Rugby Champions Cup, failing to qualify from Pool 4 after finishing bottom with just one win from four. The former URC champions last played on January 18th, facing Racing 92 in the ERCC.
It was a frustrating evening as the Capetonians dominated possession in the opening exchanges but failed to turn it into scoring opportunities. Jurie Mathee had to settle for a penalty goal to open the scoring for the Stormers. Racing didn’t take long to reply with Vinaya Habosi scoring the first try of the game in the 14th minute to peg the visitors back. They scored again three minutes later, and the Stormers were down by eight.
Joseph Dweba helped mount a comeback, scoring the visitors’ first try of the day in the 21st minute. However, Habosi secured his brace just before halftime to send the Stormers into the break trailing 19-10. The Stormers’ deficit grew to 14 points in the 55th minute before they woke up. Jantjies and Marcel Theunissen scored a quick-fire double to put them within two. However, a late try for Racing 92 sunk any hopes for the Stormers and they left with a 31-22 loss.
Leinster have been incredible so far this season. They have won every game in all competitions, totalling 13 wins. They are first in the URC and topped Pool 2 in the ERC. Leo Cullen’s side most recently played on January 18th, facing Bath Rugby in their final group game of the ERC.
The URC leaders blew their rivals away in a convincing 47-21 victory. That performance knocked Bath out of the Champions Cup and secured a top-place finish for Leinster. However, it was Bath who started the fastest. The visitors scored twice through Alfie Barbeary and Tom de Glanville to take the lead. An action-packed first half saw Robbie Henshaw score a brace and Jack Conan score a third to give Leinster the lead. However, Tom de Glanville scored his brace right on halftime to give Bath an advantage at the break.
A Bath red card in the second half changed the course of the game. RG Snyman scored a brace, plus Garry Ringrose and Jamison Gibson-Park scored one each to storm ahead. Leinster punished a 14-man Bath to continue their undefeated streak and secure their place at the top of the Pool.
Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Predictions
Correct Score Prediction: Leinster 31-17 Stormers.
The Stormers struggled for consistency in the United Rugby Championship this season but have found some form recently. They have won three of their last four games, including appearances in the European Rugby Champions Cup. However, they face their toughest test on Saturday when they face a Leinster side that has not lost a game all year.
Leinster enters this fixture with a formidable squad. Their attacking intent has shone through this season, and they sit at the top of the URC with 260 points scored. The Irish side has been consistently dominant in recent seasons, both in the URC and the European Champions Cup.
Their pack is solid, with key players like Tadhg Furlong and Ryan Baird providing the physicality and experience needed at the set-piece. There is quality in droves, Hugo Keenan leading their back line. The attacking structure under Leo Cullen is based on smart ball movement and creating mismatches. Our rugby prediction is for Leinster to win on Saturday.
The depth of Leinster’s squad is perhaps the best in Europe. They can rotate players without ever dropping quality. This plays a huge part in their formidable, attacking nature, allowing the squad to keep the tempo at 100% no matter who is on the pitch. Players like Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris, and Jamison Gibson-Park will be pivotal in this game and Leinster’s ability to rotate quality throughout the squad will help to drown the DHL Stormers.
Leinster have a slight edge in the scrum that will be integral to their dominance. They also have the edge on lineouts with a strong second-row pairing. That will help them control territory and set the platform for their attacking play. They have been strong on both sides of the ball. They have an 80% tackle success rate, placing them 6th overall in the league. Leo Cullen’s side also ranks 5th for turnovers won with 62.
Statistically, the DHL Stormers have one of the worst defences in the league. They rank 15th in tackles made, tackles success percentage, and turnovers won and 10th in turnovers lost. That reads like a death sentence when playing the strongest attacking team in the league. The South African side has not supplemented this with a powerful attack. They are 11th in points scored and 14th for defenders beaten, showing their lack of quality ball carriers. John Dobson’s side simply have to find something different if they want anything from this game.
The Stormers do have some star power in their backline. Damian Willemse is a game-changer at fly-half, with his creativity and ability to break the line and dictate play. In the centre, players like Ruhan Nel and Dan du Plessis bring power and flair to the attack. If the Stormers can gain parity in the set-piece and allow Willemse and company to play a free-flowing game, they can certainly pose a significant challenge to Leinster’s defence.
Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Betting Tips
Leinster is the runaway favourite to win this game. The league leaders are worth 1/7 with our online bookmaker. They are undefeated and have shown no signs of slowing down. The Stormers have struggled for consistency so far and went crashing out of the Champions Cup last week. However, there is not much value in a 1/7 bet with a €10 stake returning just €0.70. We think there are better bets to be made on this game.
The DHL Stormers have found some form in recent weeks. Despite their struggles throughout the season, the Capetonians have won three of their previous four games. A victory over arguably the best team in Europe seems unlikely, but they did manage to secure a win over them in 2024. If you think they can cause an upset, a bet on the Stormers is worth 9/2
Handicap
The handicap for this game is floating between 12 and 15.5 points for anyone betting on the United Rugby Championship. What has been most impressive about Leinster this season is the way they have beaten some of their opponents. They blew Bath out of the water last weekend and have done so to many of their rivals in 2024-25.
The Stormers have been poor on both sides of the ball and Leinster have been dominant at home. Bet on Leinster to cover -13.5, worth 4/6. If you want to increase those odds, look at the winning margin markets. We like a bet on Leinster to win by 8-14 points, worth 13/5.
Try Scorers
Despite the Stormers’ underperforming so far, they still have a strong attacking force in Leolin Zas. He is the second top try scorer in the URC, crossing the line five times this season. The South African is the visitors’ primary scoring threat in this game. We like a bet on him to score a try against Leinster on Saturday.
Leinster Team News
Several players are available for selection in this game following returns from injury. Leo Cullen revealed that Will Connors, Dan Sheehan, and James Lowe are all available after returning to full training last week. Liam Turner and James Culhane will step up their rehabilitation this week, but the game against the Stormers will come too soon for a return to action. Rob Russell, Michael Milne and Jordan Larmour remain out with no timeline for their returns.
Stormers Team News
The Stormers also look to have several players available after returns from injury. Joseph Dweba left the field against Racing but looks like not much more than a stinger. He will return for this game. Leolin Zas, Seabelo Senatla, Warrick Gelant and Manie Libbok will all be available for selection against Leinster. Suleiman Hartzenberg and Evan Roos require scans and will not be available for this game.
There was some good news this week from the DHL Stormers camp. Neethling Fouché, the tighthead prop, committed his future to the South African side this week with a three-year extension. His ability in the scrum is unquestionable and could play a part in the game on Saturday.
