Second hosts third in the United Rugby Championship in Glasgow on Friday night when the Warriors clash with the Bulls in a repeat of last season's final.
Glasgow Warriors v Bulls, Friday 25th April, Glasgow, KO 20:35 (South African time)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Ru Campbell (Scotland), Finlay Brown (Scotland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Weather Forecast – Glasgow
Glasgow Warriors:
The Warriors are in second spot in the standings with a record of11 wins and 4 defeats for 58 log points. The gap to runaway leaders Leinster is 9 points and they have 4 points worth of daylight over the third placed Bulls and they are 9 better off than the Sharks who are fourth.
The Warriors came away from Parma with a 14-6 win over Zebre last weekend. In their most recent URC home game they thrashed the Lions 42-0 in Round 14 and they boast a 100% record in front of their own supporters in the URC this season. In South Africa earlier in the campaign they lost to the Sharks (28-24) in Durban but beat the Stormers (28-17) in Stellenbosh.
After this the Warriors visits to Benetton and finally Leinster and in the outright betting the Warriors are 15/2 to win the URC title with WSB.
Bulls:
The Bulls remain in third place in the standings, also with a record of 11 wins and 4 defeats. They have a tally of 54 log points with the Sharks 5 points further back and the gap between the Bulls and fifth placed Benetton is 13 points.
The Bulls came away from Limerick with a 16-13 victory over Munster last weekend and a home play off is almost secure ahead of this match and home games against Cardiff and the Dragons. On tour earlier in the URC season they won at the Ospreys, Benetton and Connacht but were surprisingly beaten at the Scarlets and they now take aim at Glasgow Warriors who beat them in last season's Grand Final at Loftus.
In the outright betting to win the URC title the Bulls are 5/1 second favourites with WSB.
Team News
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Ollie Smith, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Kyle Steyn (c), 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Mann, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Max Williamson, 3 Patrick Schickerling, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Nathan McBeth
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Euan Ferrie, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Adam Hastings
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Ruan Nortje (captain), 6 Jannes Kirsten, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johann Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-hendrik Wessels.
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jacobus Grobler, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Willie le Roux, 23 Stedman Gans
The Betting,
Glasgow Warriors -2.5 points at 9/10
Bulls+3.5 points at 9/10
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
Betting Angle
Posted 24 April 19h22
This handicap opened Glasgow -3.5 and I had made them -9.5 so expected the market to move out. Instead the Bulls have shortened to +2.5 with the Glasgow team perhaps not as strong as I was expecting.
Glasgow are a tough side to beat at home though and I am expecting a strong showing and a win by 3 points or more.
The total points line is 48.5 and with some rain forecast before the game I am going to sit that market out for now.
BET: 3 units Glasgow -2.5 at 9/10 at Hollywoodbets
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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