URC Round 17

Just 2 rounds to go and it's tight in the race for a home quarter final.

All games on Premier Sports, URC TV and SuperSport.

Friday 29th April 2022.

Vodacom Bulls v Glasgow Warriors- Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – KO 18.00 IRE & UK / 19.00 ITA & SA
Munster v Cardiff Rugby- Musgrave Park, Cork – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA- TG4, BBC Wales

Saturday 30th April 2022

Emirates Lions v Benetton- Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg – KO 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA & SA- Mediaset
Cell C Sharks v Connacht- Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA & SA- TG4
Zebre Parma v Dragons- Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA & SA- Mediaset, S4C
DHL Stormers v Leinster- DHL Stadium, Cape Town – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA & SA- RTÉ 2
Ospreys v Scarlets- Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA & SA
Edinburgh Rugby v Ulster- The DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Glasgow badly need a win, but on current form, it is hard to see it coming in an away game at altitude.

O's vs Scarlets is probably the biggest game in determining whether anyone is going to drop out of the playoff spots (and whether Scarlets finish top of the Welsh sides). Anything short of a win for Scarlets may effectively guarantee everyone else's spot in the top 8.

Every side from 2nd to 8th needs one win to secure Champions Cup and playoffs. Bulls vs Glasgow and Edinburgh vs Ulster would be my picks but I am biased. Stormers vs Leinster will be excellent as well and may Connacht can pull one over on the Sharks....some really excellent matches

Figured Dragons might be about to give Zebre Parma their first win, but we are struggling even more without four of our current internationals (Dee, Brown, Rowlands and Wainwright). Pack are really light, especially the replacements.

Dragons: J Williams; Dyer, Warren, Dixon, Rosser; S Davies, R Williams; Seiuli, T Davies, Coleman, J Davies, Carter, Keddie (captain), Fry, Basham.

Replacements: Benjamin, Reynolds, Doge, Taylor, Greggains, L Jones, Reed, Lewis.

For everything with COVID, travel restrictions, we're down to the final two rounds of the regular season and 4 points get's you from 2nd to 8th in the table. Really looking forward to some good, tight, meaningful matchups this weekend.
Even Scarlets who look comfortable for top Welsh spot have an Osprey's side lurking behind them with 3! home games left to play.

I think all the teams 2-8 hope Ospreys win so it takes the pressure off them for the last round. The losers of Edinburgh v Ulster and Bulls v Glasgow (especial the Scots if both lose) are really under pressure their final game.

I think all the home side's will win except Ulster and Dragon to pick up key wins in their fight to move up the table.

Glasgow will be nervous after that loss, Ulster tomorrow desperately need a win too

Munster get their 5pts. It will all fall part as it usually does with defeat to Leinster. If Ulster win tomorrow then I think Munster can't finish lower than 6th.

Glasgow really falling apart.

You got to laugh. Cardiff start quite well, then start to taper off. At half time (via BBC) it’s all about how good Cardiff are doing, while the rest of us are just smiling to ourselves, knowing it is about to fall apart for them. By the end the score line is anything but good. Dai must be desperate to make more signings lol. The squad is due a bit of a clearout, I just wonder if it will be end of this season or next.

Even when they’re well beaten, Jarrod Evans and James Ratti continue to shine. Neither has been given a fair crack with Pivac in charge.

Good joke by the commentators before the game, referring to Webb as the form 9 in the league… Scarlets are showing just how limited he. The Ospreys attack is very limited but they are having a better go at it today.

Cracker of a game that, I was sure Holley was about to give Webb MOTM . North looked as though as he hasn’t been away for a year, that’s good news!

So top 8 has been decided, top four still has three available slots.

Well done to the SA teams, if you asked me whether I would be happy with three SA teams in the top 8 in the beginning of the season I would have said yes.

It is possible Munster, Sharks and Stormers all lose their last game. With the Welsh shield still up for grabs none of the top 10 have easy games (apart from Leinster).

What we know is Leinster are First and someone has to beat them in Dublin to with it.
A Scottish team will finish 8th and get to go to Dublin. The highest a Scottish team can finish is 6th (I think) as their points difference isn't great.

The rest of the spots is anyone's guess.

Stormers look ace, Sharks not so much but they have the players. Cheetahs were mostly good in this competition so it is no surprise to see the better SA teams in the top 8.

Sharks for me are less than the sum of their parts.

Talented players but they just don't seem to gel. I think Curwin Bosch is part of the reason. Richard Chamberlain is a much better player at ten in my view.

On a positive note the Sharks and Stormer crowds are growing and seem to be enjoying the atmosphere in the stadium.

Must also be much more satisfying for the players

The Bulls look good too, and so do the Lions I guess! It's concerning to remember that a lot of SA's top players are overseas so we don't actually face them here. Your depth at lock and No.8 is still ridiculous.

A little twist to European qualification.

If the team losing the Scottish derby, on the last, go on to win the Challenge Cup only the top six will qualify
7th is not complete safe