Vodacom Bulls vs Leinster Rugby Preview
We’re almost at the end of a gruelling United Rugby Championship season. Leinster travels to Pretoria to play the Bulls at 3 pm Irish time on Saturday, June 15th, 2024. The Irish province hopes to move on to a second final and finish this season on a high.
They have an excellent record when facing South African teams when playing their best line-up. However, the Bulls are a powerful side with great physicality. They’ll be determined to dent Leinster’s hopes of claiming silverware this year. The victor will face the winner of Munster vs Glasgow in the final. It’s a massive opportunity for both teams to win the United Rugby Championship.
Vodacom Bulls vs Leinster Rugby Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Leinster will enter this rugby game in ominous form after they smashed Ulster at the Aviva Stadium. They defeated their provincial rivals 43-20 in Dublin, moving into the semifinal in style. They put the pain of their Champion’s Cup heartbreak behind them. Robbie Henshaw and James Lowe ensured Leinster took a 17-0 halftime lead. Ross Byrne completed the conversions and also scored a penalty. Ulster had their chances, but they couldn’t make them count.
𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗼𝗴𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲 🤩#LEIvULS #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/9O3jsOjbUv
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) June 10, 2024
John Cooney finally got the Northerners on the board with a penalty in the 42nd minute. Ulster scored three tries in the second half, but Leinster ran away with this game. Jordan Larmour, Josh van der Flier and Ross Molony crossed the line for the men in blue. Meanwhile, James Lowe grabbed his second of the game. This was exactly the performance that Leinster needed after a tough few weeks.
Joe McCarthy often flies under the radar for Leinster, but he was inspiring in this game. He put his body on the line and outshone his teammate Tadhg Furlong. Josh van der Flier was also excellent and showed why nobody can count him out after a tough season. Ross Byrne displayed the reasons he frustrates his critics. His kicking wasn’t always on point, but he did his job. Leo Cullen will probably start him against the Bulls because of his experience. Sam Prendergast is breathing down his neck and needs game time. The youngster had a sublime cameo and Cullen is under pressure to use him more frequently next season.
Leinster also smashed the Bulls in March. They won 47-14 against the South African side in a virtuoso second-half display. The Irish province scored seven tries in this game, with Josh van der Flier and Ronan Kelleher crossing in the first half. However, the Bulls led early through Kurt-Lee Arendse as they went into the break 14-12 ahead.
But Leinster burst out of the traps in the second half. They scored five tries, with Harry and Ross Byrne adding conversions. Leinster’s cutting edge proved too much for the Bulls’ physicality. They sliced through the South Africans in style as they delivered one of the most ruthless performances of the season.
Bulls enter this game off a tight quarterfinal victory over Benetton. They won 30-23 at Loftus Versfeld. Kurt-Lee Arendse scored after just 25 seconds as they stormed into the lead. He added a second later in the game while David Kriel also grabbed a try. Kurt Goosen’s dependable kicking completed the scoring. This wasn’t straightforward for the Bulls because Benetton chased them the entire way. It was the Italians’ first quarterfinal in five years and they fought valiantly. In the end, the Bulls hung on but didn’t enjoy the same comfort as Leinster against Ulster.
The South Africans have scored more points than Leinster in the URC this season, with 639 to 554. Akker Van Der Merwe has 12 tries in the URC while David Kriel has 10. Leinster’s top scorer is Rob Russell with just seven. However, it’s worth noting Leo Cullen rotated his squad heavily because of the Champion’s Cup. Discipline is a bigger issue for Bulls than Leinster. None of the Irish team’s players received a red card this season in the URC while the Vodacom Bulls have two. Leinster also has more clean breaks and metres gained than their semifinal opponents. These teams play noticeably different brands of rugby.
Vodacom Bulls vs Leinster Rugby Predictions
Prediction: Bulls 20 – 27 Leinster
We predict Leinster will claim a narrow victory in this semifinal. The Irish province has a superior squad while the Bulls will miss some big players. They also demolished the South Africans in their most recent meeting.
Our rugby prediction sees this being a closer affair with one converted try separating the teams. Bulls will attempt to suffocate Leinster and prevent Jamison Gibson-Park from conducting play. They’ll target Leinster’s scrum half as well as Ross Byrne.
James Lowe is in scintillating form and there’s always a chance he’ll score a try. His pace and nous will be challenging for the Bulls to handle. Jordan Larmour is also enjoying a powerful end to the season. The experience of Irish internationals like Robbie Henshaw and Josh van der Flier will also be massive for the Irish province.
The Bulls are live underdogs after an intense season for Leinster. They have very dangerous attackers in David Kriel and Akker van der Merwe. Their home advantage will also be huge because it’s an exhausting trip for the Leinster players. Meanwhile, the Bulls will enjoy the tremendous home support from their fans in Pretoria.
Leinster is also under more pressure to win this game than the Bulls. They’ve already failed to win one trophy this season. They see the URC as a consolation prize, but it would be a massive shock if they fall short of the final. Leo Cullen could suddenly find himself facing an inquisition.
Check out in-play betting during this game. The markets will shift if the Bulls take a surprise halftime lead. Important rugby matches can change in an instant, either because of a mistake, sin bin, or red card. It may be worth betting on Leinster to win the second half because they can make great comebacks.
Vodacom Bulls vs Leinster Rugby Betting Tips
Leinster are favourites to win this game. We expect the Irish province to lead their South African opponents throughout. But the Bulls will provide a stern test. Betting on Leinster to win at 9/20 could make €4.50 from a €10 stake. Alternatively, it’s 19/10 for the underdogs to beat Leinster. This time, a successful €10 bet would make a €19 profit. Some people will see this as attractive because the South Africans will be up for this huge match.
Betting on rugby offers the opportunity to examine many markets. It’s 12/5 for Leinster to win by 1-7 points. This correlates with our predicted scoreline and could see a profit of €24. Meanwhile, the Bulls are most likely to win by a similar margin. The odds for this are 18/5 with potential returns of €36.
Why not consider betting on the game’s first try-scorer? James Lowe is in devastating form for Leinster and would be a smart option. However, Akker van der Merwe is the URC’s top scorer and desperately wants to make his mark in this semifinal. It’s 5/4 for Leinster to score first and win the match. The same bet on the South African team has odds of 9/2 on our sports betting platform. One fun prop bet is will the first try be converted? Johan Goosens has an excellent record this season while Ross Byrne is one of the sport’s most divisive figures.
While both teams have enjoyed a high-scoring season, we don’t see over 50 points in this game. The stakes are too high and the players will be determined not to give anything cheap away. Looking at the over/under markets this weekend could be fruitful. We are leaning more towards under across the board.
Check out our welcome bonus. New users can register online and enjoy this benefit. Apply it across a range of sports and markets. Why not bet on the winner of the URC? Leinster is currently a 20/21 favourite, with €10 potentially winning €9.52.
Vodacom Bulls Team News and Predicted Line-Up
The South Africans suffered some hammer blows over the past few weeks. World Cup winners Lee Arendse and Canaan Moodie are out of this game with injuries. However, Marcell Coetzee could return for the Bulls in this game. The veteran flank recovered early from knee surgery and should be available for selection. Marco Van Stadaan is also likely to return.
- Bulls Predicted Line-Up: Willie Le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sergeal Petersen, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker Van Der Merwe, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Nizaam Carr, Wilco Louw, and Cameron Hanekom.
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Leinster Rugby Team News and Predicted Line-Up
Leo Cullen will play a full-strength team against the Bulls. It’s unlikely that he’ll make many changes after they demolished Ulster. However, he may bench Jimmy O’Brien because he was one of the few players who played poorly in the quarterfinal. Despite the clamour for Sam Prendergast, it’s almost a guarantee that Ross Byrne will start. Cullen won’t risk the young fly-half against the South Africans.
- Leinster Predicted Line-Up: Jimmy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, and Caelan Doris.
