Vodacom Bulls vs Glasgow Warriors Preview
The United Rugby Championship will conclude on Saturday, June 22nd at 5:00 pm. Unfortunately, Leinster and Munster crashed out of the competition last week, removing all Irish representation. Instead, The Vodacom Bulls will host the Glasgow Warriors in Pretoria. It’s a massive game for both teams as they look to finish the season with silverware.
The Bulls stunned Leinster as they upset the odds to reach the final. Meanwhile, Glasgow defeated Munster at Thomond Park in another brilliant display. These teams have taken this competition seriously all year and deserve their spots. Glasgow is an underdog, but they’ll travel to South Africa with grit and determination. Meanwhile, it’s a tremendous opportunity for the Bulls to win this competition for the first time. This has all the makings of a classic clash.
Vodacom Bulls vs Glasgow Warriors Key Stats and Head-to-Head
The Bulls enter this rugby game off the back of six straight wins. Meanwhile, Glasgow won their last three with their most recent defeat against the Lions in South Africa. Both teams will fancy their chances in this one.
Glasgow suffered a narrow loss against the Bulls in their last meeting. They faced each other in May 2024, with the Bulls emerging as 40-34 victors at Loftus Versfeld. The Warriors almost pulled off a spectacular comeback but left themselves with too much to do. The Bulls dominated the first 60 minutes of this game. Their power was too much for the Scottish club to handle. They went into the break 24-10 ahead. Kyle Steyn’s yellow card cost his team dearly as the South Africans exploited their extra man. Akker van der Merwe was everywhere in the first half, scoring one try and almost grabbing another.
Canan Moodie scored quickly after the break to increase the deficit. But Glasgow didn’t give up and came back fighting. The captain scored a try with Tom Jordan adding the conversion. Momentum shifted and Sebastian Cancelliere raced down the line for a spectacular score. Ultimately, the Warriors found themselves too far behind to make up the difference. But they can take heart from the reality that they never gave up. They silenced the crowd in Pretoria and will have gained valuable lessons from this rugby game.
Both teams overcame Irish opposition to earn a spot in this United Rugby Championship final. It’s the second time the Bulls have reached this stage of the competition. They will hope to use their home advantage to significant effect against Glasgow. The Bulls played brilliantly against a disappointing Leinster side. Leinster took the lead through James Lowe, but they couldn’t sustain it. Johan Goosen was the Bulls’ key man in the game’s early stages. Sergeal Petersen scored a try before Goosen added the finishing touches. He also kicked a penalty to give the South Africans the lead.
Leinster rebounded through Caelan Doris and the two teams exchanged points. The game was level with 15 minutes to play. Then Petersen scored the game’s decisive try as he caught Embrose Papier’s box kick. It was a glorious moment for the Bulls but crushing for Leinster, who left this game behind them. Petersen could have cost his team after he received a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. However, he rejoined the game determined to make a positive impact, and that is exactly what he did. Ultimately, the South Africans had better organisation and more motivation. They are desperate to win this competition.
Glasgow overcame Munster at Thomond Park in the other semifinal. They belied their underdog status to beat the defending champions in Limerick. It was a phenomenal victory as they won 17-10. Kyle Steyn scored the try that sent them into the break ahead. They initially fell behind after Jack Crowley’s penalty. Sebastian Cancelliere showed his quality with a key second-half try. Munster continued to fight with Antoine Frisch crossing the line. But Alex Nankivell killed this game as a contest when he earned a red card. Jack Crowley also missed a key penalty as Munster’s mistakes piled up. This was a very satisfying Glasgow victory.
Sergeal Petersen was phenomenal for the Bulls against Leinster. He has the potential to be a devastating threat. This could be a very attacking final. Five Bulls players have eight or more tries in this competition. Akker Van Der Merwe is their top scorer at 12. However, Johnny Matthews is the tournament’s overall top scorer with 14 tries. The Bulls must keep him quiet if they want to win this game. Kyle Rowe is also prolific with nine tries to his name. Josh McKay has the second-most carries in the URC. Only Edinburgh’s Duhan van der Merwe has beaten more defenders than the New Zealand wing.
Elrigh Louw has 89 successful carries for the Vodacom Bulls this season. Meanwhile, Sebastian Cancelliere has 18 clean breaks, the most of any player across both teams. This will be a great rugby game with the highest stakes.
Vodacom Bulls vs Glasgow Warriors Predictions
Prediction: Bulls 22 – 14 Glasgow
Our rugby prediction sees the Bulls win the URC final. They have a home advantage and this will be a key factor. It’s an exhausting trip to South Africa and the Warriors must acclimatise to different conditions. Meanwhile, the Bulls already beat the Warriors this season. This will fill them with confidence, and they’ll expect to defeat them again in the final.
The question is whether Glasgow will handle the Bulls’ physicality. This rattled them badly in May and was one of the main reasons they fell behind. It could be a long night for the Scottish team if they can’t get to grips with Jake White’s approach. Plus, when you consider silverware on the line, the Scots must start the game on the front foot. The hosts will be difficult to catch if the Warriors go behind early again.
However, the Bulls have problems of their own. They’re missing several South African internationals, and Willie Le Roux may join their number. Absentees will be a concern, especially entering a final without your best players. However, they must make do with who they have available.
Live betting is a great option for this game. This will be a competitive rugby game with both teams likely to make a statement in the first half. It wouldn’t be shocking if Glasgow led at the break, but it could end up being a dull final if they enter the second period ten points down. Betting on Glasgow to win the first half could be a profitable wager, even if the South Africans win the game.
Vodacom Bulls vs Glasgow Warriors Betting Tips
This is a fascinating URC final between two excellent teams. Betting on the Bulls to win isn’t a good idea. They are 2/9 favourites for defeating Glasgow in Pretoria. A €10 bet would only win €2.22 if successful. We also think that Glasgow is a live underdog. It may be wiser to back them at 3/1. The same stake could win €30, three times your stake.
Check out the other rugby betting opportunities for a big game like this. This includes looking at betting over/under or various prop bets on individual players. Plus, wagering on the odd/even total match points is a more profitable way to play this weekend. Johnny Matthews could be a good option to score the game’s first try.
Some punters like betting on the winning margin. It’s 6/4 for the Bulls to win this game by 15 or more. This is the most likely winning margin on our sports betting platform. However, this may be too ambitious as it requires Glasgow to capitulate. The Scottish side picked up two silly yellow cards against Munster and remained strong. Even with a man down, there is tremendous spirit in this Warriors side.
Betting on the Vodacom Bulls to win by 8 to 14 points at 12/5 is a safer option. This is more lucrative and also correlates with our predicted scoreline. Glasgow may be better than the odds suggest and have already defied their underdog status. It’s 5/1 for them to win by 1 to 7 points. Don’t forget to take advantage of our welcome bonus. New users can apply this across a range of sports and markets. These include betting on Euro 2024 or the upcoming international rugby union friendlies.
The moment 💙🖤#WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ pic.twitter.com/hUOP2tdeJ0
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) June 15, 2024
Vodacom Bulls Team News and Predicted Line-Up
Bulls coach Jake White is unlikely to make many changes from the team that defeated Leinster. Akker van der Merwe may come into the starting line-up because he had an excellent season. Marcell Coetzee is a notable returnee and is available for the final. He brings valuable experience and nous.
Willie Le Roux is a significant concern for the Bulls. He went for a HIA after Joe McCarthy’s dangerous tackle. The South African international is a doubt, but the Bulls will monitor his progress throughout the week. They are already missing Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie, who suffered injuries in back-to-back weeks.
- Bulls Predicted line-up: Willie Le Roux, Sergeal Petersen, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Devon Williams, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Marco Van Staden, Ruan Nortje, Ruan Vermaak, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, and Gerhard Steenekamp.
Glasgow Warriors Team News and Predicted Line-Up
George Horne took a hard blow from Alex Nankivell in the semifinal but should be fit for this game. The Warriors will probably play the same team that defeated Munster. They may opt for fresh legs with the likes of George Turner and Euan Ferrie on the bench. However, it’s unlikely that they’ll ring changes.
- Glasgow Predicted line-up: Josh McKay, Sebastian Cancelliere, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn, Tom Jordan, George Horne, Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson, Richie Gray, Scott Cummings, Zander Fagerson, Johnny Matthews, and Jamie Bhatti.
