United Rugby Championship Preview
The new URC season is almost here, giving us plenty to look forward to in the coming year. Over the summer break, many teams have taken the opportunity to promote from within and secure a few more bodies for the gruelling campaign. To help you with your rugby bets, we have put together a guide for the United Rugby Championship season predictions and some betting tips.
Last season, Munster finished top of the URC after a flawless finish. Four teams were competing for the top spot, including Munster, the Bulls, Leinster and Glasgow. Unsurprisingly, all four teams made it to the United Rugby Championship 23/24 playoff semifinals. However, few would have expected Glasgow to get the better of Munster and the Bulls to triumph over Leinster. Even fewer anticipated that the Glasgow Warriors would win the cup final, but do they have what it takes to do it again?
United Rugby Championship Season Predictions 2024/25
Prediction: Leinster to win the United Rugby Championship 2024/25
Last season, Leinster looked unstoppable for most of the campaign. However, as we got towards the business end of the season, the wheels came off. Leinster was in pole position to win the European Rugby Champions Cup after defeating French rivals La Rochelle in the quarterfinals. They prioritised this trophy over the URC and ended up with neither. We expect the boys in blue to bounce back this season and at least claim the league title.
The Bulls were close to glory last campaign having finished as the runners-up in the league. They brought in six players this summer and only showed three players the door. Chris Smith went to France and WJ Steenkamp went to the Lions. On paper, the South African side looks even stronger than last season. We expect them to be the closest rivals to Leinster.
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Glasgow Warriors were last year’s overachievers. Nobody expected them to be that close to the top, let alone secure the URC Final. Nine players have left Glasgow and six have joined. Patrick Schickerling and Fin Richardson joined from Exeter Chiefs, but we don’t believe they have done enough to strengthen their position in the league. Our rugby prediction is for Leinster to finish first, the Bulls second, Munster third, and Glasgow the best of the rest.
Leinster URC Predictions 2024/25
If you are looking at team sheets, Leinster is one of the most stacked squads in the league. They have cover in every position, which arguably stifled the growth of young talent like Sam Prendergast. However, they have cleared out seven players and only brought in six for the new campaign.
The big three acquisitions are RG Snyman from Munster, Rabbah Slimani from Clermont, and Jordie Barret from the Hurricanes on a short-term deal. They brought three players up from the academy, but the likes of Alaalatoa, Ed Byrne, and Ben Murphy have all moved on.
Munster URC Predictions 2024/25
Munster finished top last campaign thanks to a fantastic end to the season. Unlike Leinster, who stretched themselves over league and cup games, Munster underperformed in the ERCC and focused on the league when it mattered. They have recruited smartly after losing some big names this summer.
Carbery, Snyman, Zebo, and Frisch have all moved to other clubs or retired. Five players have stepped up from the academy and they will join recruits Kilgallen, Burns, Farrell, and Thaakir Abrahams from Lyon. Munster has got the personnel to finish in the top four again, but we can’t see consecutive first-place finishes for the Reds.
Connacht URC Predictions 2024/25
Connacht came 11th last season in what can only be described as a disappointing campaign. It started well for the boys in green, but they were five points down on a top-eight finish. To steady the ship, they have shifted on 12 players and brought in nine. That does not include Josh Murphy, who returns from a sabbatical.
They lost two heavy hitters to Munster, Kilgallen and Farrell. Plus Tiernan O’Halloran retired from rugby. They released five players, including Tadgh McElroy, Oran McNulty, and Gavin Thornbury. Overall, they have lost more than they have gained. Perhaps the two signings from Leinster, Lasisi and Murphy, will be enough to boost them up to a top-eight finish this year. However, our rugby prediction sees Connacht outside the top ten once again.
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Ulster URC Predictions 2024/25
Ulster came sixth last year in the URC, and they can be proud even though they had 14 points less than the 2022/23 campaign. They also lost some big names this summer, with Steven Kitshoff returning to South Africa with the Stormers. Luke Marshall and Angus Curtis retired, plus Ulster released Luke Marshall, Greg Jones, and Shea O’Brien.
They promoted four players from the academy, plus recruited Werner Kok from the Sharks and Aidan Morgan from the Hurricanes. They have maintained a lot of key personnel for the next season, but they are short when compared to the likes of Leinster and Munster. Our United Rugby Championship season predictions for Ulster are looking good. We expect another top-eight finish is on the cards, but the competition looks fierce this season.
United Rugby Championship Betting Tips 2024/25
While there will be plenty of opportunities to bet on United Rugby Championship games throughout the season, it’s time to lock in a few wagers before the opening game on September 20. Leinster is the clear favourite to win the URC in 2024/25, with odds worth 3/5 at our online sports betting site. The next most likely teams are Munster and the Bulls at 11/2. Placing a €10 wager on Leinster will return €16 in total, whereas the others will give you €55 in profit.
If you are interested in betting on rugby union matches, let’s look at the opening round of fixtures. Leinster should easily beat Edinburgh to mark the start of the new campaign. Munster and Connacht face off in our first all-Ireland clash of the season with the Reds most likely to take the win at home. Ulster is unlikely to get a result against Glasgow even though they are at home.
You can secure better odds if you group these predictions into one wager, such as an accumulator. However, as it’s the first week of the season, look at betting on individual matches. Yes, you will secure lower returns, but you are more likely to avoid an opening day upset.
One Month To Go ⏳
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Besides betting on the URC winner, or the first round of fixtures, you can investigate other potential markets. Looking towards the bottom of the table, five teams managed five wins or fewer across the entire season last time around. Zebre had the worst record with one win, one draw, and 16 losses. Betting on the Italian side to have a similar experience this season is probably the right idea. There were only three fresh faces and nine squad members departed. Most notably, Italian duo Riccardo Genovese and Marco Manfredi have joined Benetton. Meaning, that betting against Zebre should be profitable again in this campaign.
Cardiff was poor last year, but we back them on making a fantastic comeback and charge towards a top-eight finish. They had a massive clear-out over the summer, including 11 players departing the senior team. 13 new faces have joined the Welsh outfit, including Ed Byrne from Leinster, Johan Mulder from the Lions, and Josh McNally from Bath. Cardiff has recruited well, poaching a lot of talent from the England Premiership. We have faith they can find some form in 2024/25.
URC 2024/25 Conclusion
We are in for another exciting season of rugby this year. Whether you are looking for rugby union predictions or betting tips, we have got you covered all season long. Stay tuned for weekly predictions for all Irish rugby teams, starting with the first game of the season on September 20th. We have dedicated writers following each Irish team throughout the URC, plus the cup competitions as well. If you are looking for something to read in the meantime, check out our list of the highest-paid rugby players this year.
