THE BATTLE IS ON!!! | PLAYOFF RACE IS FIERCE! | URC

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[00:00:00]With two rounds of regular season games to go, the race to the eight in the URC is absolutely stacked and it is fierce.

[00:00:08]Almost every match over the next 10 days has serious playoff and home quarterfinal implications. Look how tight the table is as we head into round 17.

[00:00:24]and welcome to a rundown not just of this weekend's games, but on the hunt for playoff spots. Let me know your thoughts in the comments down below. And if you appreciate the content, all I would ask is you drop a little thumbs up on the video. That helps. Subscribe to the channel, too, if you haven't already. I'm I'm absolutely buzzing about this weekend's fixtures. And I'm going to I'm going to run you through uh each team that is in contention for a playoff spot and predict how I think the last two games are going to go. Just looking at the top 10, Stormers on top with a point cushion from Glasgow ahead of Lions and Linster. They are the top four. And then there are five teams who are going to fit into four spots. But that is maybe jumping ahead of myself.

[00:01:04]Is there a team that could go from lower down in the playoff hunt to grab themselves a home quarterfinal spot?

[00:01:10]Well, let's start at the top of the table with the Stormers. They control their own destiny and when they are at full strength and especially when they are in Cape Town, they are a match for anyone. Which is why recent poor performances, the odd little wobble has maybe thrown into doubt their home quarterfinal and potentially carrying that home advantage all the way through to a final. But they got themselves back on top and they have two opportunities at bagging some points to seal the top spot. Although their games are difficult, they're in Europe and they're away from home and they are against Olter and Cardiff, two teams that themselves are fighting for a top eight spot. So with that in mind, I think a motivated Olter, I guess the advantage for Stormers is Olter played in the Challenge Cup and Stormers have had a week off. Uh but if it's not a very motivated Olter and and top performing Olster, it's going to be Cardiff. And I think Stormers will get one away win and two bonus points for try bonus points.

[00:02:12]So I'm going to give Stormers six points which would mean my prediction they will finish the regular season with 62 points. Will that be enough? Well, let's have a look at Glasgow trying to defend their crown. They have quietly stayed around near the top all season long, but they've had a few key injuries of late.

[00:02:30]They've got several of their key Scotland internationals who either haven't been at their normal top form like Hugh Jones. And part of that is the same thing that's affected other players. They're they're playing through a very very long season having been involved in a British and Irish Lions tour. And they've been trying to battle on two fronts in Europe and in the URC.

[00:02:49]They don't have that problem at the minute and they've got a chance to win at home to Cardiff and away to Olter.

[00:02:56]those same two teams, Stormers and Glasgow, the top two, face those two teams. It's going to be really, really interesting. And just like Stormers, I'm predicting Glasgow will get the win against Cardiff with a bonus point, and they will get either a try or a losing bonus point against Olter. So, I'm going to predict Glasgow get six points, which would take them to 61 points nestled just behind the Stormers. Would 61 points be enough to make the top two and carry home advantage through to at least a semi-final? Well, Lster might be the key lynch pin to that. They have been vulnerable this season, but they are gathering momentum and interestingly they I mean they've lost through this season games that they would normally win. They started the season really poorly. Rotation and battling in Europe and a long season where a lot of their players were on a British and Irish Lions tour that has stretched Lster's resources. They've had some key injuries as well. And even despite that, it could well be that a Lster team that is not performing as well as it has done in previous years when they've haven't won a European title or haven't won any trophy whatsoever. Oddly, this is a team you could fully imagine a month or so from now are sitting there with two more trophies in their cabinet. A double is very much possible. And in terms of their final games, Lions at home and Ospreys at home, I'm giving Linster the full 10 points, which takes them to 63 points. I think they are going to finish top of the table in the regular season.

[00:04:31]Obviously, these are long range predictions. I don't know what the teams are for the other matches. I'm just playing this out and I will return to this when probably inevitably after round 17 all of my predictions are completely wrong. Let me know your thoughts down below. But I'm saying as things stand right now, I'm going to predict Linster take the number one spot and they are already even before they've done that favorites right now today to win the URC and they're in a Champions Cup final as well. The interesting thing with Linster, because they do have such a big and and and talented squad, their their biggest name players that you want for the money matches have not played that many games in the URC. So, they will be relatively fresh compared to other teams. And if you add the fact they don't have to travel on top of that, Lster could well be cooking. So, moving on to Lions, who currently sit above Lster in third. But the reason I've gone to Lensster first is Lions have got a couple of very very tough games to finish the season. They've been one of the surprise packages. They've been one of the positive stories of the URL. The way they've played the underdog story. They have their best players poached and picked off by the richer unions in South Africa. They they play in Johannesburg and people give them stick about the size of their crowd and all the rest of it which actually is all right. They're just quite often in the shade underneath the cameras so you can't see them. But they've been playing amazing rugby. guys like Frankie Horn, can he force his way into the spring box reckoning? He's been brilliant. And Quan Horn as well, uh Henko Vanvake, they've got players off the radar with the Spring Box who are motivated to prove exactly what they're worth and they have been doing that outstandingly. They are the form team in the tournament. But they have a crash course with Lster coming up. Lster away and monster away the final two games. I don't think the Lions will win either of those games.

[00:06:20]I'm going to give them two points, which would mean they would be on 55 points.

[00:06:25]And will that be enough for fourth spot?

[00:06:29]Well, I'm going to guess probably not because Monster currently sit in fifth.

[00:06:34]And I tell you what, the the Monster's final two games are if if I had to just watch the games of one team, I would be picking the Monster because they've got Lions at home. That is an absolute belter. a bit of a playoff top four 10p pointer if you like that one and also that that comes final day of the regular season after this weekend where they go away to conuct an interpro game that has massive consequences for both teams if monster go and win then I think they'll make top four if they lose con still in play and monster could be imploding a little bit although I still back them to get a win at home in their final game but massive they fell off the boil earlier in the season they do some fundamental issues. Sometimes their scrum will go to pot. They've got guys in Tide Burn and Jack Crowley that are just elite mentalities, top two inches, and they can inspire a kind of belligerance that Monster always have.

[00:07:30]And that stand up and fight mentality, never say die. I think that is what we're going to see. I think Monster will get two wins, nine points, meaning they'll be on 60 points, one behind Glasgow, and will be in fourth place.

[00:07:42]And then the question is can Cardiff Bulls Olter overturn them? Cardiff in sixth on 50 points. They have Glasgow away and Stormers at home. I think they lose both of those games. Although absolutely Cardiff are capable of winning. And in a season that's been a real negative one from a Welsh rugby perspective. all of the shenanigans behind the scenes, all of the politics, all of the doubt, all of the chaos, and Cardiff have just got on with their business, played really good rugby, and they're in the mix. And it would be great if they can make the postseason party given all of that context. Will they? Well, the only trouble is, like I say, they are playing the top two and uh they they may well be looking over their shoulder at results going elsewhere elsewhere uh against them elsewhere. And I think they will probably be waving the flag for Monster in their game against Konuk because if Konuk lose then I think Cardiff make it. But I'm think they're going to finish on 52 points and I think they will be overtaken by the current seventh position. The Bulls who sit on 49 points but have two home games against the Italian teams with nothing to play for basically mentally on the beach. They'll have already checked out.

[00:08:51]They'll probably be treating a a trip to South Africa as a bit of a jolly. They can um maybe nip up to the bush. um you know go and see if they can spot a leopard, hang out with the Ellies a little bit. Oh yeah, and they'll have to play a game of rugby too. The Bulls are a bit of an enigma. So much talent and particularly in the pack, they are about the most potentially when they're at their game, the most fearsome pack in the whole of the competition. They just have not shown it regularly enough.

[00:09:17]There's been brain fades. When it all clicks, when everyone is on song and in sync, they are title contenders. No question. but they haven't shown it consistently enough. Getting home advantage would be absolutely massive for everybody, but especially for for the Bulls. Can they do that? I think they will get 10 points from their final two home games, which would put them on 59 above Cardiff and above the Lions is what I'm projecting. And they would be pushing Monster for fourth spot. So, Bulls are Conuct fans this weekend.

[00:09:51]Speaking of Conuct, um well, yeah, I think they're going to fall away. I'll come to them in a moment after Olter, who currently sit in eighth spot, 47 points. Early season form for for Olter has been unreal. Whatever happens this season, this season is a success.

[00:10:07]They're in a challenge cup final. But if they don't make the playoffs, that will be a massive disappointment, bearing in mind where they've been. It's a a consequence of not having the squad depth of some other teams. But I tell you what, what they have got is an identity, a local identity as well.

[00:10:21]They've got some local cult heroes that everyone loves and they've just added a sprinkling of quality on top with Joanna Augustus, with Angus Bell who they've been unfortunate not to be able to use in recent weeks. But they have got again a lot of players that are getting their dues on the international stage and Stuart McClosky's the main man for Ireland in the 12 jersey. Jude Poffweight showed what he was about in the Challenge Cup and there are guys like him that want to prove why they are due a trip on the nation's championship with the Irish national team this summer. But more than that, they just want to be part of the continued resurgence of Olter. They lost against all three Irish provinces in the last month or so, which was a hammer blow for them, and they lost to Scarlet and Ospreys as well. So, they've not been in great form. In the Challenge Cup, different matter, Larel, Exat, two superb wins. Uh, but can they win against the Stormers at home and against Glasgow at home?

[00:11:15]I think they can. I actually think they're going to. I think Raven Hill is going to do its Raven Hill thing. Maybe I'm just being a little bit romantic about this one. I just think Olter are going to win both of their games. I'm going to give them nine points on to 56, which um would be behind would be outside the top four, but would be very much in the top eight. Um, Conuct I think are going to miss out. Another underdog tale. They're a little bit like the Lions of Ireland, aren't they? The Lions in South Africa, the the the poorer, least most neglected of the of the um of the teams. Same in Ireland with Con, but they punch above their weight and they have that local identity and pride and Galway is a tough place to go. I've never been. It's one of the grounds I really really want to go. Can they get Can they get a win? They've got some giant matches. Monster at home.

[00:12:07]Oh, if they could win, then they're in the hunt. If they lose, they're out. I think they're going to be out. And to to summarize the fixtures for this weekend, there are four games well worth watching. Glasgow against Cardiff, Olter against Stormers, Lster against Lions, and Conuct against Monster. Those are incredible games. Keep half an eye on Bulls v. Zebra. Um, and as for the other three matches, if you're a fan of the Sharks or Beneton or Ospreys, Scarlet, Dragons, Edinburgh, fine. Obviously, you'll watch that game, but not really a lot in it. So, to summarize, uh, at the end of the regular season, my prediction, [laughter] and this is going to look ridiculous in only a matter of hours because I recognize how good the URC is, how competitive it is, and how hard to call many of these games are. But nonetheless, I'm projecting Lster top 63 points. Stormers second 62 points.

[00:13:00]Glasgow third 61 points. Monster fourth 60 points. How amazing would that be if it was 63, 62, 61, and 60 with the top four. I think that's going to continue with the one-point gap between teams.

[00:13:14]I'm going the Bulls 59 in fifth. Uh then Olter sixth with 56, Lions seventh with 53, and Cardiff eighth with 52.

[00:13:33]Conics's missing out. But like I say, I thought it was fun to war game how the URC was going to play out, but honestly, we haven't got a clue, have we? And it'd be boring if we knew. wouldn't be worth playing the games. I cannot wait. I'm going to be here covering the channel.

[00:13:52]Well, I won't be here. I'll be at a friend's house, but I'll make sure I'm watching and covering the rugby because it's going to be dynamite. I will see you on the next video. Let me know your thoughts in the comments down below.