You can’t win them all, but you can come close enough to be annoyed. My URC accumulator for the weekend hit more than it missed, yet a few away picks and one shocker in Johannesburg kept it from being the perfect ticket.
Glasgow vs Bulls
This one was right on the money. Glasgow at home are a handful, and even with the Bulls travelling better than most, the Warriors’ tempo and precision told in the end. The 1.30 looked a banker and it proved one. Strong start.
Ulster vs Lions
This is where the bet went sideways. Ulster, unbeaten going into the weekend, suffered seven tries in Johannesburg from a Lions side playing with ambition and pace. 49–31 to the home side wrecked my multi – and I’m sure many other’ early in the weekend.
Related: URC Round 5: Keo’s accumulator
Sharks vs Scarlets
No drama here. The Sharks were always going to handle the Scarlets in Durban, and they did so comfortably, 29–19. The odds at 1.05 barely moved the needle, but it was free money nonetheless.
Stormers vs Benetton
The Stormers just keep delivering. They were made to work for it in Treviso, but a 31–16 win on the road is as professional as it gets. At 1.62, that was solid value.
Related: Magic Matthee makes it five for Stormers
Ospreys vs Dragons
I went for the Ospreys away against the Dragons, thinking they would be the better in a bottom-of-the-table clash. Wrong call. Welsh derbies rarely respect logic or odds, and the 19-19 draw was a testament to this. The Dragons, who drew to the Sharks earlier in October, are now responsible for two of the three draws to have ever occurred in the URC. The other one being the Stormers and Leinster deadlock in 2023 (22-22).
Leinster vs Zebre
No surprises. Leinster rolled over Zebre 50–26, with their second string doing enough to keep the scoreboard ticking. Easy money, as expected.
Edinburgh vs Cardiff
Edinburgh were my punt of the weekend at 2.65 — a genuine value play — but Cardiff defended their patch. The visitors never really got going, and that one added another red mark to the slip.
Munster vs Connacht
Munster closed things out with a tight 17–15 win. It wasn’t pretty, but a win’s a win, and at 1.35 it salvages some pride in the accumulator.
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