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IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Odds on Mike: Bulls to win a close one at Loftus, Leinster to beat Glasgow in URC semi-finals
And then there were four. Nearly six months of URC action brought us to last week's pulsating quarter-finals, and now it is down to Leinster versus Glasgow and the Bulls versus the Sharks. With the home side likely to get front-foot ball, the Bulls backs should do the rest on the scoreboard. But I'm not predicting a high-scoring affair. The Sharks have a knack for pulling expansive teams down into the trenches for an arm wrestle. The challenge for the Sharks became a whole lot tougher when they lost their all-Springbok second row of Eben Etzebeth and Jason Jenkins to injury. Etzebeth is the best lock in the world and Jenkins has been playing the quality of rugby that earned him Springbok colours. The Sharks' pack was always going to be under pressure from their in-form Bulls counterpart and with a makeshift second row, it is going to be a big ask for the visitors to gain parity up front. Betting angle The bookies have the Bulls as strong favourites. To back them simply as winners will mean that for every R100 you put down, you will get R28 back at Hollywoodbets. And if you fancy the Sharks to pull off an upset, R100 will get you a R280 reward. The wise bet is to back the Bulls, but rather on the handicap than just on the scoreboard. I like the minus-7.5 handicap, which means the Bulls must win by at least 7.5 points for the bet to pay out. In this case, R100 will win you R90 plus your stake back. Alternatively, you can take the Sharks on the plus handicap. I think a tasty option is the plus-11.5 handicap. This means the Sharks won't lose by more than 11.5 points. I think this will happen. Finals are close-scoring affairs. R100 will win you R50. Leinster v Glasgow in Dublin, 3.45pm Much has been said about Leinster being chokers and an aging team because of their recent history of losing big games. I'm not so sure this Leinster team is over the hill just yet, and the recent losses will have rid them of the complacency which I think has been their problem. A correctly-focused, hungry Leinster team should win at a packed Aviva Stadium. That said, the Warriors shocked Pretoria last year when they beat the Bulls in the URC final. They are a champion team and well-coached by South African Franco Smith. They were exceptional in their quarter-final demolition of the Stormers in the quarter-finals. Betting angle Glasgow are massive underdogs and R100 on them to win will net you R580. The same amount on Leinster will win you a paltry R12. So that is not worth it. I reckon the home team will win, but by how much? The handicap is the way to go in this game and a good option is the minus 13.5 handicap. For that to pay out, Leinster need to win by more than 13.5. That is basically two converted tries. R100 will reward you with an R85 profit.
The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Three areas the Sharks can refine before their Munster quarter-final
The Sharks need to tighten the screws in these areas after only scoring four tries in one game out of the last six. Sharks captain Eben Etzebeth says they need to improve in order to beat Munster. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images The Sharks have still not been hitting their stride despite the return from injury of several Springboks, and their four-game winning streak that secured them a third-place finish in the United Rugby Championship's league phase. In the build-up to their last match, which the Sharks won 12–3 against Scarlets, flanker James Venter rightly pointed out that the Durban side have not yet had a complete performance this season. 'We want to play 80 minutes of rugby to the standard we can. I think that's what we are looking for,' he said. 'We are one game away from clicking and being a really, really dangerous side.' He hoped the Scarlets contest would be the one that would bring it all together. Instead, the Sharks ground out a tryless win against a threatening but likewise lacklustre Welsh side, who, like the hosts, regularly lost the ball when they had momentum in the opposition's half. Sharks head coach John Plumtree and captain Eben Etzebeth said they simply have to improve if they wish to beat Munster in their quarter-final in Durban this weekend. While Plumtree praised the Sharks' defence and lineout, he and Etzebeth identified areas that could be worked on. Sub-standard scrum 'The scrum was a bit messy from both teams, there were a few free kicks and penalties, but I'm really happy with the fact that we defended well,' Plumtree said. The all-Springbok front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch were replaced in the 55th minute by Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Hanro Jacobs, as has been the model since Trevor Nyakane's long-term injury, with Ruan Dreyer also playing from the bench. But the quality of the front row is backed by stars in the second and third rows. On paper, the pack is one of the best in the world. They have shone in some games, but not as regularly as they would like. Inaccuracies and penalty offences Finishing a game error-free is impossible, but lost balls and penalties can build up and be the difference in a contest. That was exactly what happened against Scarlets – the Sharks winning through four penalty kicks. Plumtree said role clarity was missing, and the Sharks were guilty of loose passes and poor tackles. 'There were a few issues around our attack tonight. We mucked up our launches, just through inaccuracies. 'We just couldn't get anything right. It wasn't a good performance from us, and we have to really look at the reasons why and get better.' The Scarlets only scored through a drop-goal, using all of their penalties to go for lineouts and attempt to get bigger scores. But the Sharks will not always have the scoreboard pressure to keep their opposition doing that. Sharks still require the finishing touch Tying in with inaccuracies, loose balls and lack of role clarity, tries are only scored when no mistakes occur in the build-up. The Sharks should be commended for taking their chances with the boot, slotting all four penalties. But they have only scored four tries once in their last six games. Etzebeth was well aware of their need to up the ante in attack. 'I think we dropped a couple of balls, made errors in our plays… Definitely going to fix that to go further in this competition.'
Belfast Telegraph
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Ulster recall Ireland centre for crucial Sharks clash as visitors deploy full Springboks contingent
The Bangor midfielder, who was a late withdrawal from last weekend's defeat to Leinster, has recovered to be named in the team to face the South African side as one of just three changes to the line-up from that game in Dublin. Blindside flanker Matty Rea, in his final home appearance for the province before departing at the end of the season, and former Sharks winger Werner Kok are also drafted into the starting line-up. But Richie Murphy's side, in their final run-out at Ravenhill this season, are up against it when you consider that the Sharks have called upon 11 of their 12 current Springboks, the only exception being scrum-half Grant Williams who would have featured but for injury. Lock Eben Etzebeth captains the visitors, who are fourth in the URC and all but guaranteed their place in the Play-Offs, as John Plumtree calls upon two former World Player of the Year nominees, centre Lukhanyo Am the other, with an all-Springbok front row spearheading their charge and the only non-international player in the Sharks back line being winger Ethan Hooker. It rams home the challenge that Ulster face in their bid to book their place in the Play-Offs, with head coach Murphy claiming that ten points from their final three games – trips to Munster and Edinburgh following this game – and they could badly do with some points from their final match against their home fans. Saturday's outing will serve as a farewell of sorts as, while they will likely still feature in the last two games, the likes of O'Connor, Rea and Andrew Warwick will say goodbye as they start, while Kieran Treadwell will make his final home appearance off the bench. There will not, however, be a chance for scrum-half John Cooney to get his farewell on the pitch as he misses out on selection due to injury, meaning he has been seen in a white jersey at Ravenhill for the last time. Murphy has opted for an unchanged tight five, Warwick joined in the front row by the Ireland pair of Rob Herring and Tom O'Toole, with fellow international Cormac Izuchukwu packing down alongside O'Connor in the second row. The only alteration to the pack sees the departing Rea come in for David McCann in the back row, with James McNabney moving to number eight and Ireland's Nick Timoney continuing at openside flanker. Jacob Stockdale will a rare start at full-back as the back line is shuffled, Zac Ward moving to the left wing and Kok returning to the right wing, while Jude Postlethwaite continues at outside centre alongside McCloskey, with the half-back pairing of Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy unchanged. On the bench, once again Murphy has opted for a 6:2 split, David Shanahan and Aidan Morgan the odd backs out among a plethora of forwards, Tom Stewart, Callum Reid and Scott Wilson providing the front row ballast, while Matty Dalton joins Treadwell and McCann as impact loose options. ULSTER: (15-9) J Stockdale; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; (1-8) A Warwick, R Herring, T O'Toole; A O'Connor (captain), C Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney. Replacements: T Stewart, C Reid, S Wilson, M Dalton, K Treadwell, D Shanahan, A Morgan, D McCann. SHARKS: (15-9) A Fassi; E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jo Hendrikse, Ja Hendrikse; (1-8) O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth (captain), J Jenkins; J Venter, V Tshituka, S Kolisi. Replacements: F Mbatha, N Mchunu, H Jacobs, M Tshituka, P Buthelezi, B Davids, S Masuku, J Julius.
