Ulster Rugby vs Munster Rugby Preview
Week four of the United Rugby Championship takes place this weekend, with one of the oldest rivalries in the rugby league. Ulster Rugby takes on Munster on Friday, November 10 at 7:35 PM. Although it’s early in the season, this is an important fixture for both sides. Munster is currently second in the table with an unbeaten record and Ulster is eighth after their defeat at Connacht last week.
The sides meet in Belfast at the Kingspan Stadium, a famous venue with a capacity of over 18,000. Ulster’s last game involved letting a lead slip away to Connacht, whereas Munster is buoyant after an emphatic win over a winless Dragons RFC side. It’s still too early in the season to talk about the title, but Ulster vs Munster is shaping up to be a massive game.
Ulster Rugby vs Munster Rugby Head-to-Head and Key Stats
The two sides have met 104 times since 1946, including five times since the 2021-22 season. Four of the most recent matches have been in the United Rugby Championship, with one meeting coming in the 2022 URC quarter-final. Munster has won the day on three occasions, including when the sides met on New Year’s Day 2023. One point separated the two, with the home side losing to a last-gasp try by fly-half substitute Ben Healy. The result was 14-15 to Munster.
Before the meeting on January 1st, Munster lost to Ulster for the first time at home in eight years. The game took place on October 29th, and one point settled it. Once again, the home side lost 14-15. This time, Ulster secured the bragging rights. The meeting before that was in the URC quarter-final in June 2022. Ulster dominated Munster, winning 36-17 in a game full of mistakes and scintillating rugby.
Although there have only been three games this season, it is already shaping up to be a good season. Munster is one of two teams in the league without a loss. However, they had to share the points with Benetton on game week two. Ulster suffered their first defeat of the season at the top of the table in Connacht last week. The closely fought game saw Ulster take a decisive lead, which they failed to hold and now find themselves in the middle of the table. The last result from either team includes Ulster losing 22-20, whereas Munster beat the Dragons 45-14.
Before you bet on the rugby, let’s examine the historical results of this rivalry. In the 104 meetings in the last 77 years, Munster has won 40 times, and Ulster has 54 victories. There have been ten draws, with the last one occurring in the 2017-18 season. The fixture after the draw was the highest-scoring game between the sides, which was also the largest victory for Munster, 64-7. Since that demolishing, the sides have met ten times in all competitions, both sharing five victories each.
While betting on Munster to win and continue the unbeaten run, this season seems like a safe bet. There are several aspects to consider. Munster has played bottom and second bottom this season, both teams without a win. Ulster has faced much tougher opponents so far, including third-place Bulls and top-of-the-league Connacht. Historically, Ulster has dominated Connacht in their previous meetings, but that defeat leaves them in the middle of the division.
Ulster Rugby vs Munster Rugby Predictions
Looking at the rugby betting markets at Novibet, there is a clear favourite for the event. Placing a €10 bet on Ulster to win the game will return €15.71 if they win on the day. The same stake placed for Munster to win will net you €25. A draw is 18/1, meaning any wager on the two sides being level at the final whistle is worth 18 times your stake.
Ulster is the favourite to win on the day, which may surprise you if you were to look at the current United Rugby Championship table. Munster is second in the league with three games played and 12 points on the board. They also have a point difference of +44, the second beast in the entire division. However, Munster are yet to face any tough opposition, and they drew to ninth place Benetton earlier in the season.
Ulster remains the favourite with the bookies thanks to their current form and how the team has performed historically in this fixture. They have more victories than Munster in this meetup, including two in their last three meetings. However, given one point separated the last two games, we expect the game on Friday to be a cagey affair.
In a fixture like this, betting early is not the safest way to bet. Live betting is a fantastic way to bet on the rugby as the game unfolds. Rugby matches can change in a heartbeat, and one mistake can change a result. Sure, Munster has a fantastic point difference already, but one poor result against Ulster and they can tumble down the table. Form is a great indicator, but don’t forget to account for the fixtures.
If you are determined to bet on the rugby, new Novibet members can enjoy an exciting welcome bonus. This type of wager is perfect for beginners, as even a small wager on a draw has the potential for huge returns. Given that Munster has already drawn a game this season, and there have been ten ties between the clubs historically, a draw is not out of the question.
Betting on Ulster to win the United Rugby Championship game against Munster is where the smart money is. Many expect Ulster to bounce back strongly after their narrow defeat to Connacht. However, a blowout seems less likely. While Ulster is in fine-scoring form, they let a big lead slip against Connacht and could do similar when they host Munster.
Ulster Rugby vs Munster Rugby Betting Tips
Rugby betting is never straightforward, but there are lots of wagers to help you win on the day. Instead of betting on the outright winner, you could bet on there being a yellow or red card during the game. Ulster has already racked up three yellow cards this season, whereas Munster has zero. While a card being issued seems unlikely, it could be a risk worth taking, depending on the returns.
For those of you only interested in placing a bet on the full-time result, Ulster is looking like a better option. However, Ulster has already conceded 77 points this season, including 22 last week and 19 the week before. Munster scored 45 points against the Dragons while only conceding 14. The week before, they drew 13 points a piece in the game between Benetton. That suggests to us that this game will involve both teams scoring between 15 and 25 points, with the winner separated by less than five.
As we have mentioned, the Ulster Rugby vs Munster odds are tight, but there is a clear favourite. Betting on Ulster to win is worth 4/7 and Munster will pay 6/4. If you are confident Ulster will win, you can take your bet further by choosing the winning margin category. Ulster, to win by one to seven points, has odds of 13/5. That means a €10 bet will return €36 if the team wins between that margin. Placing the same bet but with Ulster winning by eight to 14 points would return €45 with the same stake.
Either of those two winning margins seems likely, but one point has settled the past two contests. The same result three times in a row is not unheard of, but it shows how evenly matched these teams have been recently. We think Ulster will win and they will probably do so by less than seven points.
Ulster Rugby Lineup
Ulster coach Dan McFarland has a couple of injuries to key players. Cormac Izuchukwu and Dave Ewers missed the last game against Connacht with concussions. Protocol states players should rest for one week before returning if they are symptom-free. Tom O’Toole and Kieran Treadwell also missed the last game and will most likely remain unavailable for the match against Munster. McFarland may change his side after their narrow defeat to Connacht, as several World Cup players have returned to the squad.
- Ulster Predicted Lineup: A. Warwick, J. Andrew, S. French, A. O’Connor, C. Izuchukwu, M. Rea, R. Crothers, N. Timoney, D. Shanahan, J. Flannery, E. Mcllroy, S. Moore, J. Hume, B. Moxham, and W. Addison.
Munster Rugby Lineup
A mixed bag for Munster fans this week, as players have rejoined the squad following the World Cup and new players have made it onto the injury list. Graham Rowntree gave Craig Casey and Jack Crowley their first appearance of the season last weekend. Plus Kilcoyne, Beirne, Loughman, Murray, and O’Mahony have rejoined the team. Calvin Nash is under assessment and Snyman is undergoing surgery this week. Josh Wycherley and Simon Zebo have returned to training, but Campbell, Salanoa, Haley, Hurley, N. Scannell, and Conway are all out for the clash at Ulster.
- Munster Predicted Lineup: J. Loughman, D. Barron, S. Archer, J, Kleyn, P. O’Mahony, A. Kendellen, G. Coombes, C. Murray, J. Crowley, A. Frisch, R. Scannell, M. Fekitoa, A, Nankivell, S, O’Brien, S. Daly.
