Leinster odds on favourites for the URC - but who can challenge them?

Last year Leinster ran away with the league phase of the competition en route to comprehensively beating the Bulls in the final.

Two early losses will prevent that from being the case this time, and introduce some early pressure, but they got back on track last weekend, and the bookies are backing them to go from strength to strength from here on in. With the Irish rugby bookmakers on Scs odds are currently 8/13 with Bet365 and 4/6 with Ladbrokes to go on and take the crown again, while BetVictor also have them at 8/13.

Obviously those odds will be factoring in the impact the return of five British and Irish Lions can have on Leinster. The five made their return at the weekend and the team was transformed as a result.

Speaking about it, and their tough start away in South Africa, head coach Leo Cullen said: “We knew it was going to be a tough start to the season for us because of the amount of moving parts and with the Lions cohort (missing). “It’s an amazing achievement for one team to have 14 players away on the Lions

trip, isn’t it? But unfortunately, we’re the ones who are going to suffer ultimately for the start of the season. “Listen, it’s great we’re through now, we’re getting some guys up and running and hopefully they’ll be fresher later in the year because obviously their season is starting relatively late.”

And that is a worrying thing for the rest of the URC given the way Leinster played at the weekend.

Of course, they now need to keep that up this weekend when they take on a Munster team that is currently perfect on the season. It is one of the biggest derby games of the season and one that always brings in attention in rugby circles, especially as Munster — who were knocked out in the quarter-finals last year — are currently the third favourites for the title this year, so it is a big test for them this weekend as well.

Bet365 have Munster at 8/1 to take the title while BetFred have them at 17/2. Ladbrokes have them at 10/1. It is not just Munster, though, who have the ability to test Leinster this year, but also the Bulls.

The Bulls were the losing finalists last time out and they probably remain the most credible threat this time round as well. They’re physical, experienced in knockout rugby, and have shown they can win in opposition strongholds in years gone by. Their history in URC finals — though not missing heartbreak as last year shows — gives them a pedigree to back a challenge. The fact that they’ve knocked Leinster out in semi-finals in past seasons adds extra weight: they know how to win tight, high-pressure matches.

If the Bulls can maintain consistency outside South Africa, sustain their set-piece edge, and convert tight games, they may be the ones to steal a title this time round. And the bookies see that too — they are the second favourites this time round.

To do that, though, they will need to play better than they did last weekend against Ulster. They lost 28–7 in a complete whitewash of a game, one that Bulls president Willem Strauss hit out at after it finished. He said: “Arguably our worst performance since joining the URC. Terrible effort. Not interested and disconnected. We've now conceded 14 tries in just 3 games. We need urgency and intensity asap.”

Despite that defeat, though, and the way it came about, they are still currently 9/2 with Bet365, 5/1 with Ladbrokes and 24/5 with Unibet to go one better this year.

Then there is the Glasgow Warriors, another challenger that merits attention. In betting markets they are further down the list as Bet365 have them at 12/1, and Ladbrokes have them at 10/1, but that doesn’t mean they’re a team to be ignored. They made the last four last year and have a history of strong performances, especially in domestic derbies or when momentum is on their side.

Their weakness has often been sustaining form across a season and avoiding costly errors on the road, but if the Bulls slip or Leinster falter, Glasgow could pounce — and they have started well this year, winning two out of their first three games.

Speaking before the season, though, head coach Franco Smith downplayed their chances this time round. He said: “What’s important for me is that the current process is only in year one, it’s a start. It’s not a year seven or a year eight project. “From my side, I'll have to be patient if I believe that this was year one. I think this year, starting year two, this current young group and the way the academy is set up at the moment can help us. “If everybody, including our supporters, have patience with that, I think we can maintain a very good record.”