Munster vs Connacht Preview
Munster play Connacht in their opening game of the new United Rugby Championship season on September 21st. It’s a big year for both teams who hope to improve in this campaign. Munster has ambitions of winning the URC while Connacht hope to make the playoffs.
The Irish provinces arguably underachieved last season. However, they can wipe the slate clean with a win on Saturday at Thomond Park. Connacht were the last team to beat Munster in the URC and will hope to do it again.
This will be an all-action thriller between two Irish rivals. Munster are the favourites but Connacht have world-class talents in their ranks. Tune in at 5.30 pm for this big clash.
Munster vs Connacht Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Munster enters this game off the back of six straight URC victories with 29 points from 30. Meanwhile, Connacht was the last team to defeat them before the knockout phase of the competition with victory in Galway on New Year’s Day. However, Munster smashed them 47-12 later in the season. Munster scored seven tries on that day.
Recent history suggests that Munster has the advantage in this match. The team with home advantage has been the victor in their past five meetings. Connacht has won three of their past five meetings with the southern Irish province. None of those victories came at Thomond Park.
Connacht finished the season on a low with three straight defeats. Meanwhile, Munster lost their URC semifinal against eventual champions Glasgow. Both sides hope to improve this year. Connacht suffered at points last year because of Mack Hansen’s absence through injury. His return is a massive boost for the Westerners.
These teams have different ambitions. Munster has a deeper roster and genuine ambitions of winning the URC after topping the leaderboard last time. Connacht’s main target is a top-eight finish in this year’s competition. They’d like to qualify for the knockout stage with ease after a disappointing 11th place last time. They can beat anybody when their best players are available.
No stopping Nanks 🫸🚫
🔜 Connacht#SUAF 🔴 | #MUNvCON | @URCOfficial pic.twitter.com/HIeWiwvSf6
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) September 17, 2024
Both teams have new captains. Cian Prendergast will lead Connacht throughout their campaign. Meanwhile, Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne is Munster’s new captain. Pete Wilkins enters his second season as Connacht’s head coach. Last year was a transitional season so things should be more stable.
Munster added former Connacht winger Diarmuid Kilgallen in the summer but he won’t play against his old team. Jean Kleyn was a big miss last year but he returns. The South African is keen to make up for lost time. Billy Burns provides competition for Jack Crowley.
Connacht’s most intriguing signing this summer was All-Blacks out-half Josh Ioane. The one-cap New Zealander adds competition for Jack Carty after J.J. Hanrahan’s ACL tear. The very experienced Tiernan O’Halloran retired after 15 years on the West Coast.
Munster vs Connacht Predictions
Predicted Score: Munster 30 – Connacht 16
Our rugby prediction is that Munster will convincingly win this URC opener against Connacht. Graham Rowntree has a stronger squad than his counterpart Pete Wilkins. Their depth gives them the edge because they have better replacements.
Make no mistake, Connacht has elite talents in their ranks. The likes of Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki would walk into this Munster team. Finlay Bealham is emerging as one of Europe’s top rugby props.
However, the options behind their best players are very thin. Munster has outstanding quality all over the park. Jack Crowley is Ireland’s starting fly-half for the moment. Craig Casey silenced some doubters during the Irish tour in South Africa. It’s going to be difficult for Connacht to stand up to Munster’s attacking threat.
One of Connacht’s problems last year was their inability to hold onto leads. They capitulated multiple times and this cost them dearly. They can’t afford to do the same in this new URC campaign. However, they did enjoy an explosive start to their last season.
We predict that Munster will score at least four tries against Connacht. They’ve added South Africa’s Thaakir Abrahams who will inject pace into their backline. Shane Daly and Calvin Nash are already strong options.
Our new Munster Captain.
Tadhg Beirne 👊
🔗Full details : https://t.co/pPuLBLnU0q#SUAF 🔴 pic.twitter.com/amqf42gfh3
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) September 17, 2024
Munster will have a home advantage in this game. Thomond Park is a cauldron on its best nights. Their fans will produce an electric atmosphere because it’s the first game of the season. This could mentally affect Connacht’s performance too.
However, watch out for Mack Hansen because he will want to return with a bang. The Connacht star is one of the best players in the country. We think he could bag a try in his first competitive game since his injury woes.
Don’t forget to check out the live betting odds during this game. Munster is the favourite but Connacht could take a shock lead. We would still bet on Munster to win the second half because Connacht have a poor record in Limerick. Check out our URC preview for a deeper dive into this year’s competition.
Munster vs Connacht Betting Tips
Betting on Munster may seem like the right option for this match. They are the favourites on the sports betting platform but the odds are prohibitive. It’s currently 2/9 for them to earn an outright victory over Connacht. This means that a successful €10 stake would earn €2.22.
This isn’t a great return but there are better options. Betting on rugby is exciting because there are many markets. If you want to back Munster, consider applying a handicap. The best option is a -10.5 handicap at 10/11. This correlates with our final score prediction.
Let’s go back to that score prediction. The winning margin is an excellent option. We believe that Munster will win by 8 to 14 points. They have dangerous attacking talents and a home advantage. It will be difficult for Connacht to keep them quiet. Another option is an over-under bet on the number of total points scored in the game.
But some players may back Connacht to cause the biggest shock of the opening round. It’s 18/5 for them to defeat Munster at Thomond Park. This time a €10 stake could make €36. The Westerners haven’t achieved this since their clash in the Pro14 Rainbow Cup in 2021. Their record in Limerick is very poor and doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Consider betting on the halftime/full-time results. It’s 11/2 for Connacht to take a lead into the break. This may be a better option than betting on them to win the entire game. €10 could make €55 so this could be very tempting.
“It’s a massive honour” 🟢🦅
Hear from Cian Prendergast who was announced as club captain by Pete Wilkins today 🫡#ConnachtRugby pic.twitter.com/aPPcTkBup2
— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) September 16, 2024
What if Munster wins the first half and Connacht stage an incredible second-half comeback? It’s 18/1 for them to achieve this with potential returns of €190 from €10. This could be more sensible than betting on them to win outright. That’s because we can’t imagine them dominating Munster for the entire game.
There’s plenty more URC action to check out this weekend. Edinburgh host Leinster in one of the biggest games of the opening round. Ulster travel to the defending champions Glasgow in another match of Irish interest. Why not create an accumulator to enhance odds and maximise your profit?
Check out the URC’s outright betting options beyond this game. Leinster are the 5/8 favourites to win the tournament. We don’t trust them because the Champion’s Cup is a massive distraction.
It’s 11/2 for Munster to win the URC which makes them third-favourites. Connacht are 60/1 outsiders. This could be a good time to apply Novibet’s welcome bonus or to use one of the platform’s many promotions.
Munster Team News
There’s good news and bad news for Graham Rowntree ahead of this new URC season. Jean Kleyn and Ethan Coughlan both return. They’re available for selection this weekend. Tom Farrell may play against his old team. But it may be too early for Liam Coombes and Jack Daly who could require another week because of the return-to-play protocols.
Dave Kilcoyne should return to full team training soon while former Connacht star Diarmuid Kilgallen is out with a leg injury. The likes of Brian Gleeson, Edwin Edogbo, and Roman Salanoa remain absentees.
Connacht Team News
Pete Wilkin’s team enters this new campaign in fine fettle. Jack Carty will probably be the starting fly-half with Josh Ioane on the bench. Former Bristol star Piers O’Conor hopes to make his Connacht debut. J.J. Hanrahan is the only significant Connacht player absent for this game. The out-half is recuperating from an ACL tear and will be out of action until next year.
