Munster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Preview
Week five of the United Rugby Championship sees a mid-table clash between Munster and the Stormers. The game kicks off on Saturday, November 18 at 5:15 PM. The season has been unpredictable so far with each team in the top five registering one defeat already. Munster is seventh in the table, two points away from the leaders. The Stormers are two points behind Munster and sit ninth in the league after four games.
Munster Rugby vs DHL Stormers will take place at Thomond Park. The 25,600-capacity stadium in Limerick is one of two Munster home grounds this season. Munster’s last home match was at Musgrave Park, a much smaller venue in Cork. Both teams come into this game having lost their previous fixture. Munster was leading 8-14 at halftime against Ulster but ended up losing by seven points. The Stormers proved too much for the South African side. The score finished 20-17 at the final whistle.
There is still a long way to go this season and both teams have been far from their best after the first few games. Either side will need to find consistency in the weeks to come if they are to avoid a mid-table scrap in the division. Munster has lost one and drawn one game this season on the road against Benetton. Whereas, DHL Stormers have lost two consecutive games in the league. This game is looking like an important match if either side wants to keep pace with the leaders.
Munster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The sides have only met three times in the United Rugby Championship since 2021. Munster has won all three contests, including two away matches. The last time Munster was at home against the Stormers, the score finished 34-18 to the hosts. The away legs were much closer games, with Munster winning on both occasions within five points.
Looking at the most recent fixture between the sides, the Stormers lost 14-19 in the URC Grand Final. The game took place on May 27 and there were three yellow cards within 80 minutes. The South African side took the lead after five minutes thanks to a Manie Libbok try. At half-time, Munster capitalised on an Evan Roos yellow card with tries from Diarmuid Barron and Calvin Nash. The game swung back in favour of the home side after a Mike Haley yellow card. The Stormers had a two-point lead with less than five minutes to go. Unfortunately, they could not hold on and a late try from John Hodnett saw Munster win by five points. A late yellow card for Jack Crowley was too late to inspire a Stormers comeback.
Every team has played four matches in the division this season. Only one team in the United Rugby Championship has avoided defeat so far, Benetton. The Stormers’ last league game was away at Benetton, a game they lost by three points at the final whistle. Benetton were the underdogs that day, but they held the South Africans to a 20-17 triumph. Looking at Munster’s last league game against Ulster, they were the bookies underdog to win the match, and they certainly played like it. Speaking after the game, head coach Graham Rowntree said this about his sides’ defeat:
“Frustrating, we went ahead two scores without being perfect. But in the third quarter, we fell apart. That wasn’t a good enough version of ourselves. Yeah, we were nearly in there at the end chasing a draw. But our errors in the middle of the field, our discipline, we fell apart.” – Graham Rowntree
Damning quotes from the manager are always a worrying sign from our point of view. A coach coming out and saying things like this might be to rally his players for the next game, but it could easily go the other way. Before you consider rugby betting, it’s vital to check how each team is performing this season. In the four games Munster has played in the league, they have won two, drawn one, and lost last week away to Ulster. The Stormers have won two games against the Lions and Scarlets but lost away to Glasgow and Benetton. Neither team is going into this game in form or with any confidence.
Betting on Munster to win at home seems like the safest bet, even after the strong words from the head coach. The Stormers have lost their last two meetings with Munster, with both matches taking place in South Africa. This time, Munster gets the advantage of home turf. Plus, the Stormers have been poor on the road this season, losing their last two away games. It would be a shock if they ended the losing streak against Munster this weekend.
Munster Rugby vs Stormers Predictions
We predict Munster will win the game against the Stormers by a narrow margin. Looking at the odds available at Novibet, it appears the bookmaker agrees with our prediction. The odds for Munster to win the match by any scoreline are 2/9. A €10 wager on the home side to win the match will return €2.22 plus your stake back. The Stormers performing an upset is worth 7/2, which returns €45 if you bet €10. A draw is the least likely event, and the bookie will pay 25/1 if the teams are level after 80 minutes.
This fixture could be the perfect excuse to use your Novibet welcome bonus. As there is a clear favourite in this match, you will need to be more creative with your wagers. One way to bet on the full-time result and get better returns is to look at the handicap wagers available. A handicap is a special way for an online sports betting platform to make an uneven contest more equal. If you see a negative number, such as -3.5 to Munster, they need to win by four or more points to win the bet. The away side will have the opposite handicap for this wager, so the Stormers will get a +3.5 handicap. That means if they win the game by any amount or lose within four points, they will win the bet.
The past two meetings between the teams have been close games. In April 2023, Munster won by two points when visiting the Stormers in Cape Town, 24-26. A month later, Munster won on the road again in the URC Grand Final, this time 14-19. Munster’s last home leg against the Stormers was 34-18, but the game took place in 2021. While the Stormers have enjoyed a home advantage in the last two legs, they could not get a win. The past two matches have been tight, with only a couple of points to separate the sides. Our prediction of this game is for Munster to win and to do so by a margin of five to ten points.
In the last game Munster played at Ulster, they let a halftime lead of 8-14 slip to 21-14. The result was a shock to many, none more so than Munster head coach Graham Rowntree. In his post-match interview, Rowntree slammed his side in a scathing review. He said:
“We were inaccurate, sloppy, ill-disciplined. Our ruck wasn’t fast enough, and that was the heartbeat of the game for us. Our set-piece malfunctioned… We will have a good look at ourselves this week. That’s not good enough.” – Graham Rowntree
Scathing words from the manager might be enough to rally his troops and hold off a Stormers side with two defeats this season. It is not unusual for a manager in the Rugby Union to shame his troops after a poor performance, as it can inspire a revival next week. Munster find themselves seventh in the table after four games, way off where they would have expected to be at the start of the season. We are predicting them to bounce back and dispatch the Stormers this Saturday.
Munster Rugby vs DHL Stormers Betting Tips
Betting on Munster to win is the obvious choice, which is why you will need to search around for more profitable wagers. Every online sports betting site will offer you the chance to bet on different aspects of a rugby game. You can bet on the halftime result, try scorers, and various other markets that pay out before the final whistle. In a match where Munster is the clear favourite, it may feel like there are fewer markets to bet on. However, there are dozens of options, each significantly more rewarding than a full-time result.
As we have mentioned above, handicap betting is a fantastic option to have in a one-sided contest. You can bet on the home side dominating the scoreboard, winning the game by 16 or more points. Munster, to win by this margin, has odds of 9/5, which returns €28 from a ten euro bet. If you think the Stormers will make it a close match, you can bet on their handicap. The Stormers to win on the day or lose within four points have odds of 2/1. If the final score ends 24-22, for example, a €20 bet will return €60.
| Team | P | W | D | L | Diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulls | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | +66 | 15 |
| Leinster | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | +35 | 15 |
| Glasgow | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | +29 | 15 |
| Ulster | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | +16 | 14 |
| Connacht | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | +15 | 14 |
| Benetton | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | +9 | 14 |
| Munster | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | +37 | 13 |
| Edinburgh | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Stormers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | +33 | 11 |
| Ospreys | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | +1 | 10 |
| Zebre | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -30 | 9 |
| Lions | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -7 | 8 |
| Cardiff | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 7 |
| Scarlets | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -82 | 6 |
| Dragons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -66 | 2 |
| Sharks | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -50 | 1 |
Betting on United Rugby Championship games is exciting, but now the season is shaping up. Most squads have reintegrated players rested from the World Cup earlier this year. That means underperforming squads like Munster or the Stormers will have better players available for this week’s clash. We list more details about the squad in the section below, but it is just another aspect to consider before placing a bet.
One way to avoid any surprises with the squad selection is to wait until game day. Live betting on a rugby match is a smart way to enjoy sports. If the match immediately swings towards the home side, you can look at betting on the next scorer or how large the winning margin will be. You could also decide not to bet if the odds are no longer in your favour. If the game swings towards the Stormers early on, the odds of a Munster comeback will improve. Making in-play wagers sounds simple, but getting your timing right is crucial.
Another market worth considering in this fixture is the halftime betting options. Betting on the first-half result has better returns when compared to full-time. Munster to win the first half is worth 2/5, almost twice as rewarding as a wager on the score after 80 minutes. The Stormers have odds 21/10 for winning the first half, a €10 bet will return €31 if they lead at the break. These markets include the possibility of a draw. You can avoid that outcome by looking at the other Rugby Union betting markets available.
Remember, there are plenty of betting options available online, but that does not mean you have to choose one. If you think the result will be in Munster’s favour, but no markets seem rewarding enough to you, then don’t bet. In a game where betting on an upset does not seem worth the risk, it can pay to keep your money in your pocket. If you are determined to place a wager, consider the odd or even market for the total number of points scored. With odds of 17/20, it’s a low-risk bet you can place and still enjoy the game.
Munster Rugby Lineup
While fans might expect Munster to breeze through the Stormers, there is some bad news for the home fans. Diarmuid Barron failed the head injury assessment in the game last week against Ulster. He will be unavailable for the fixture against the Stormers this weekend. Liam Coombes suffered an injury while playing for Garryowen and will also miss the game.
Other players confirmed to miss the match include RG Snyman, Joey Carbery, Patrick Campbell, Roman Salanoa, Mike Haley, Cian Hurley, and Nial Scannell. Stuart McCloskey and Rob Herring made their World Cup return last week and more players could make their first appearance of the season on Saturday. David Kilcoyne, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Conor Murray, and Peter O’Mahony are all available for the next fixture.
- Munster Predicted Lineup: J. Loughman, S. Buckley, S. Archer, J. Kleyn, P. O’Mahony, A. Kendellen, F. Wycherley, G. Coombes, C. Murray, J. Crowley, S. O’Brien, M. Frisch, A. Nankivell, C. Nash, S. Daly.
- Munster Injury List: D. Barron, L. Coombes, RG. Snyman, J. Carbery, P. Campbell, R. Salanoa, M. Haley, C. Hurley, and N. Scannell.
DHL Stormers Lineup
The Stormers head coach, John Dobson, has several lengthy injuries to key players to worry about. Before the clash in Benetton, they lost Lizo Gqoboka for five months with a tricep injury. Dobson spoke about other key players who won’t make the trip to Munster. Dan Du Plessis, Salmaan Moerat, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Suleiman Hartzenberg are not available. It also appears Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok, and Cornel Smit will not feature this weekend. There is some good news for Stormers fans as Ruhan Nel returned last week in the defeat to Benetton.
- Stormers Predicted Lineup: A. Vermaak, S. Ntubeni, N. Fouche, A. Smith, R. van Heerden, M. Theunissen, BJ. Dixon, E. Roos, H. Jantjies, JL. Du Plessis, L. Zas, R. Nel, B. Loader, C. Skosan, and W. Gelant.
- Stormers Injury List: S. Moerat, D. du Plessis, L. Gqoboka, S. Feinberg-Mngomezulu, S. Hartzenberg, S. Willemse, M. Libbok, and Cornel Smit.
