Ulster host the Stormers in Belfast in the United Rugby Championship on Friday, the home side are clinging on to a play off place whilst the visitors are aiming to stay top of the overall standings.
Ulster v Stormers, Friday 8th May, Belfast, KO 20:45 (South African time)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
Assistant Referees: Padraic Reidy (IRFU), Jack MacNeice (IRFU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Weather Forecast - Belfast
Ulster:
Ulster were in EPCR Challenge Cup semi final action last week and their 29-12 home win over Exeter Chiefs has set up a final date with Montpellier.
In the URC Ulster are in eighth place, the last of the play off places with a record of 9 wins and 7 defeats. With 47 log points they are 2 shy of the seventh placed Bulls whilst sixth placed Cardiff (50) and Munster who are fifth (51) are also in range. Looking down, they can only be caught by ninth placed Connacht who are 3 points adrift.
Ulster lost their last 2 URC matches, at home to Leinster 29-21 and away to Munster 41-14. In other matches against South African opposition this season they beat the Bulls 28-7 in a Round 3 home fixture before heading to SA on tour where they beat the Sharks (34-26) in Durban but lost to the Lions (49-31 in Johannesburg.
After this Ulster finish up the regular season at home to Glasgow Warriors and in the outright betting to win the URC title Ulster are trading at 25/1 with Sportingbet
Stormers:
After 16 rounds of matches for all teams the Stormers top the log and their record now comprises of 12 wins and 4 defeats for 56 log points. That puts them 1 point better off than Glasgow Warriors, with the Lions and Leinster both on 53 points whilst Munster finished the previous round in fifth with 51.
The Stormers did themselves a power of good in Round 16 when they put Glasgow Warriors away 48-12 in Cape Town, scoring 6 tries to 2 and the bonus point saw them leapfrog the Scots into top position. Prior to that they went down to a surprise 33-24 home defeat to Connacht in Round 15, a first home defeat to an overseas team in the URC for 2 years.
Earlier matches against Irish sides this season saw the Stormers thrash an undercooked Leinster 35-0 in Cape Ttown in the opening round and in Round 6 they won at Munster 27-21.
After this the Stormers finish up the regular season away to Cardiff. In the outright betting to win the URC title the Stormers are now 9/2 third favourites with Sportingbet with Leinster topping the boards at even money and Glasgow are 7/2.
Line Ups:
Ulster: tbc
Stormers: tbc
The Betting,
Average early show
Ulster +2.5 points at 9/10
Stormers -2.5 points at 9/10
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
Bets:
Tips, more news and betting angles for Round 17 of the URC will be available on Brent Graham's betting blog which is available here.
Plays for Round 13 of Super Rugby will be available here.
Finally, all this week's rugby tips from members of the Goodforthegame community can be found on the weekly rugby thread on our brand new discussion forum. If you haven't done so already, register a forum account here.