Leinster Rugby vs Vodacom Bulls Preview
The United Rugby Championship is getting interesting, and we have a huge fixture this Friday. Leinster vs the Bulls sees first in the league table take on second in a heavyweight clash. The Irish side are four points clear of the Bulls at the top, but a loss this week could see a change in leadership in the URC.
Leinster heads into this fixture on a five-game winning streak in all competitions, and the Bulls are unbeaten in six games. Both teams delivered a remarkable performance away from home last weekend. Leinster outclassed Zebre convincingly, and the Bulls slayed the Dragons. Both teams scored 31 points last week, but will it be a close game at 7:35 pm on March 29?
Leinster Rugby vs Vodacom Bulls Head-To-Head and Key Stats
If you are new to the URC, Leinster Rugby vs Vodacom Bulls is not a common fixture. The two clubs have only faced off three times since 2021. Each match has been thrilling, with the Bulls picking up two consecutive victories. Out of all these games, only one was close on the scoreboard. The other two have been one-sided matches with a runaway leader.
The most uneven contest was also the most recent one when the two URC clubs met in April 2023. The Bulls hosted Leinster at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. It was an unbelievable game, with both sides combining for ten tries. Unfortunately for Leinster, nine of these scores came from the South African side. The Bulls scored four tries in the first half, two from Kurt-Lee Arendse, one from Ruan Nortjé, and Johan Grobbelaar added one in the last minute of the half.
With the score 31-0, the Bulls started the second half with a score. Grobbelaar got his second within a minute of the restart, and it wasn’t long before things got worse for the Irish side. Tom Clarkson went to the sin bin, allowing Moodie and Gans to rub salt into the Leinster wound. With 53 minutes played, Michael Milne got the visitors only try, but it was not much of a consolation. Two further Bulls scores meant the game was an embarrassing defeat for Leinster. A late Vermaak yellow card for the hosts did not affect the scoreboard.
The previous meeting in 2022 was a lot closer, and Leinster were the host. The Irish side opened the scoring inside ten minutes with a Sheehan try. It did not take long for the Bulls to respond, with scores from Grobbelaar and Coetzee. Leinster went into halftime three points down after a late score from Henshaw, but the second half started poorly for the hosts. Ryan gave away a penalty try, resulting in Leinster playing with 14 for ten minutes. With scores at the death from O’Loughlin and Healy, Leinster finished within one point of the Bulls at the final whistle. The final score was 26-27.
Predicting rugby matches has been exciting this season, but this could be one of the best matches in the campaign. Leinster are top of the league table having only lost two games all season. But, the last time the Irish side beat the Bulls was in 2021. The South African side has better form over the past few games, remaining unbeaten after six games. However, making the journey to Ireland should mean the advantage lies with the home side.
Leinster Rugby vs Vodacom Bulls Predictions
Prediction: Leinster 25-20 Bulls
This week sees first in the United Rugby Championship host second in a scintillating clash. We predict Leinster will fight hard for a victory, winning this contest by five points. The Bulls will put up a fight and will be within three points at halftime. However, with the home crowd support, we expect Leinster to eke out a five-point margin at the final whistle.
This will be a tight game as two of the most in-form rugby teams go head-to-head this Friday. Leinster have looked unstoppable throughout the 2024 season, but the Bulls have recovered well following their shaky start. European tours are incredibly tough on the South African teams, so it will take an incredible performance for the Vodacom Bulls to be victorious at the RDS Arena.
We predict both teams will lead in the first half with the Bulls getting on the scoresheet first. They will start brightly, which should invigorate the home fans. With some grit and determination, they will only score one or two tries in the first 40 minutes as both teams feel each other out. The first breakthrough will come mid-way through the second half as the teams take more risks. From there, you can expect a frantic end of the game as neither team will want to lose.
The Leinster vs Bulls match opens the possibility of live betting. If the visitors register an early lead, betting on an Irish comeback could yield profit. Leinster has been the team to beat this season and will be unphased by a spirited South African performance. Even if the Bulls have a lead at halftime, we still back Leinster to turn things around.
We predict less than 50 points score in this match as both teams will approach this game differently from other contests. The winner will have a tremendous advantage heading into the final rounds of the United Rugby Championship. Neither side will want to taste defeat, which will cause some defensive tactics on display for most of the game. Looking at the point difference in the URC, the Bulls have a six-point advantage over Leinster. However, both teams are almost 100 points clear of the next-highest scorers in the league. Usually, the points come thick and fast between these two rugby union clubs. But this week, we expect a tighter and more tense game across the 80 minutes.
Leinster Rugby vs Vodacom Bulls Betting Tips
Betting on Leinster to win this week is unlikely to return much profit. Our online sports betting platform has the Irish side as the clear favourite heading into this game. Not only do they have the advantage of playing at home, but they have played the most consistently out of every team in the league. Placing a wager on Leinster with odds of 2/13 will only return €11.54 if they lead at the final whistle. An underdog bet could be on the cards. Betting on the Bulls to win at 9/2 means your ten-euro stake will return €55 if the South African team can win on Irish soil.
We predict Leinster will win this game, but don’t overlook the danger of the Vodacom Bulls. The last time the Irish side hosted this fixture, the Bulls were victorious by one point. The game could go either way, even though our sports betting platform suggests the scales are tilting in Leinster’s favour. If you are nervous about the full-time result, there are plenty of other markets to consider when betting on URC matches.
Looking at the historical results between the teams, two matches have ended with an odd number of points scored. This week, our sports betting site offers odds of 22/25 for a wager on an odd total this Friday. The odd or even bet is a fantastic alternative, as you can get paid no matter who wins the contest. You can also choose the same market but for half-time, resulting in a payday before the end of the game.
Betting on rugby matches this season has been difficult, but one way to tip the scales back in your favour is to look at the winning margins. At Novibet, we offer three bands for each team to win the contest. Looking at the markets for Leinster, you can choose the hosts to win by one to seven points, 8-14, or 15 points or more at the final whistle. We expect this fixture will be a lot closer than many are expecting. That means there will only be around five points between the Leinster and the Bulls. Choosing the lowest band at Novibet secures odds of 16/5, which returns €42 from a €10 bet.
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Leinster vs the Bulls could be one of the most important matches this season. Both sides have the credentials to challenge for the title and are undefeated in at least five league games. Signing up to Novibet this week to place a bet could be a good use for your welcome bonus. When first in the league plays second, anything can happen. Using the bonus to place a wager will help cover your losses if the unexpected occurs.
Leinster Rugby Team News
Head Coach Leo Cullen released an update on the state of Leinster’s injured players. The medical team is assessing Ciarán Frawley and Cormac Foley this week, but an appearance on Friday seems unlikely. Martin Moloney returning to training is probably the only good news fans will have this week. Jimmy O’Brien, Alex Soroka, James Ryan, Charlie Ngatai, Hugo Keenan, and Tommy O’Brien are among those players who are still a long way off from making a comeback.
Vodacom Bulls Team News
The Vodacom Bulls recently announced two key players have signed contract extensions. Both players will commit their future to the Herd until 2028. Gerhard Steenekamp signed his four-year extension in the middle of March, and Celimpilo ‘Mpilo’ Gumede signed his new deal last week.
