Ospreys vs Ulster Rugby Preview
While the Six Nations takes a break this week, the United Rugby Championship is back. The Ospreys welcome Ulster to Wales in an exciting matchup this Sunday, February 18, at 3:00 pm. With only three points between these clubs, who will secure more than bragging rights this weekend?
The Ospreys head into this match full of confidence, having won both European Rugby Challenge Cup games a month ago. Ulster needed the international break, given they lost their final two Champions Cup matches and finished second bottom in the group. As this is the only URC fixture in February, it’s the perfect excuse to try something new. With both teams competing for a spot in the playoffs, this could be one of the best games this week.
Ospreys vs Ulster Rugby Head-To-Head and Key Stats
These two rugby clubs have faced off 31 times over the past 17 years. Most of the fixtures have taken place in the URC, except for two Ospreys wins in the Champions Cup in 2007. Looking at the ten most recent matches, Ulster has won seven and only lost three against the Welsh side. This matchup used to be dominated by the team from Swansea in the early 2000s, but now it has swung in favour of the Northern Irish club. The Ospreys currently find themselves eighth in the league, three points and three places behind Ulster. A win this weekend could help boost morale before the continuation of the Six Nations.
The most recent match between these teams was in October 2022. Ulster hosted the Ospreys in a completely one-sided affair. The match started with four tries in the first 20 minutes. The home side got on the scoreboard in the first minute with a Luke Marshall try, followed by a John Andrew score a few minutes later. Jac Morgan responded for the Ospreys, but tries from Carter and Marshall put Ulster out of reach in the first half. The home side came out strongly in the second half, scoring the next three tries before a last-minute consolation from Morgan Morris ended the game.
The last time the Ospreys hosted Ulster was in December 2021. It finished 19-13 to the home side, even though they started on the back foot once again. After 13 minutes, Luke Morgan went to the sin bin, giving Ulster a penalty try. It took half an hour for the Welsh side to find their groove, and a Morris try helped them take a three-point lead after the first 40 minutes. The second half was a much tighter game, with neither side registering a score. Instead, it was a battle of the kickers, with the Ospreys coming out on top to win the second half 6-3.
Before the international break, the Ospreys were the more in-form side. They are on a four-game winning streak, two in the European Rugby Challenge Cup and two in the URC. Across the ten most recent games, the team from Wales has won six and lost four. Ulster has struggled in recent games. While they won their two most recent URC fixtures against Irish rivals, Leinster and Connacht, they lost three of four Champions Cup matches. In the past ten matches, Ulster has lost five and won five in all competitions.
Betting on Ulster in this fixture seems like the most likely outcome, given their superior league position and recent dominance against the Ospreys. While the club from Swansea was in better form before the pause in the regular season, a lot has changed since then. With many players on international duty, both teams might have to rely on the depth of their squad to get through this fixture.
Ospreys vs Ulster Rugby Predictions
Predicting a rugby union match is never straightforward, and this match is no exception. Both sides have the credentials to challenge for the win, but who will come out on top? Looking at the odds at the Novibet sports betting site, there is a clear favourite in this game. Ulster is the bookies’ selection this week with odds of 8/15 if the Northern Irish side wins after 80 minutes. A €10 wager on the away side will give you €15.33 at the final whistle. Betting on the Ospreys this weekend has odds of 8/5, turning your ten euros into €26.
Our prediction for the Ospreys vs Ulster game is for the away side to come out on top. Both teams could be missing some key personnel as not every international player returns over this period. However, we believe Ulster benefitted the most from the break. For the Ospreys, the pause came at a bad time as the club won games consistently. It has interrupted their momentum, and we predict they will lose this home game by seven points or more.
Looking at the recent fixtures might help you when placing a bet on the URC this weekend. The Ospreys faced the Lions and USAP in the last round of matches before the Six Nations. They comfortably beat the French side before defeating league rivals, the Lions, by ten points. They have scored 25 points or more in their past four matches, including league wins over the Scarlets and Cardiff.
Meanwhile, Ulster lost to the Harlequins and Toulouse in the final round of Champions Cup fixtures. These defeats mean they drop into the Challenge Cup for the next stage of the competition. The only good news for the Northern Irish side is that they beat league leaders Leinster by one point away from home on New Year’s Day. Although that performance was over a month and a half ago, they should be confident they can continue to have a good URC campaign.
If you decide to bet on this rugby match, there is a fantastic welcome bonus for you at Novibet. Any new players to the online sports betting platform will receive a welcome offer to help you get started. This includes a free bet to use on any fixture, allowing you to wager without risking your cash. This is not the easiest fixture to get right this weekend, but it could be profitable if you choose the right wager.
Ospreys vs Ulster Rugby Betting Tips
While we predict the favourites will win this match, there is still a chance the Ospreys pull off an upset. The last time they hosted Ulster in the URC, they came out the worthy winners, thanks to some brilliant defence. They frustrated the travelling side by forcing them to give away penalties. It proved costly, given there were only six points between the two at full-time. However, we think Ulster has shown positive signs in the league for this campaign, and they will find a way past the Swansea squad.
Betting on the Ulster handicap this week has better returns than an outright prediction. We think the match will be close, but the away side will leave with at least a seven-point cushion at full-time. The handicap bet for Ulster this week is -4. That means, if they lead by five points or more at the final whistle, you will win the bet. The odds for Ulster to overcome the handicap are 10/11, turning your ten euros into €19.09.
Looking at the previous results, the highest-scoring half has usually been the first in the game. Ulster starts strong when facing the Ospreys, so betting on them to score a try first seems like a good bet. You can also bet on the first half having the most points with odds of 5/6. You could get a reasonable payout by half-time if your prediction is correct. Plus, given that both sides will have rested most of their team, a high-scoring game is certainly on the cards.
Live betting on this fixture will be tricky. As we have mentioned, several players from both sides were called up to the Welsh and Irish national squads. While some of these players have not represented their country at the tournament yet, most of the players will not return to their parent club. Injuries and overworking players are a big concern during the Six Nations, so the best players will not be available for this fixture. If you are going to bet live on this match, ensure you don’t wager more than you can afford to lose in this one-off game.
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Ospreys Team News
Like most teams in the United Rugby Championship, the Ospreys have struggled with injured players. To help manage the workload, the club agreed on three short-term loans with the South African side, the Toyota Cheetahs. Evardi Boshoff, Jeandré Rudolph, and Victor Sekekete will provide much-needed cover for the Welsh team. In other good news, three players signed new deals this week, committing their futures to the club. Keelan Giles, Tom Botha, and Max Nagy will remain in Swansea for the next couple of seasons.
Ulster Rugby Team News
The IRFU called up six Ulster players to represent Ireland at the Six Nations. Those players include Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Iain Henderson, Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart, and Nick Timoney. It’s not clear how many of these players will be available for the upcoming Ospreys game on Sunday.
The medical team confirmed six players will not be available for the Round Ten fixture. They include Kieran Treadwell, Rob Herring, Callum Reid, Ben Moxham, Alan O’Connor, and Steward Moore. Ulster will have to dig deep this Sunday if they are to leave Wales victorious.
