Saturday 29 March
Bulls 1/33 | Draw 58/1 | Zebre 10/1
The Bulls can credit their dominant front row for snatching a dramatic 21-20 victory over Leinster in Pretoria last time out, handing the Irish powerhouse their first loss of the season in any competition. While far from a flawless display, the result will inject confidence as they gear up to face Zebre at Loftus.
The Italian side put in a gutsy performance against the Sharks in Durban, narrowly falling short in a 35-34 thriller. Despite the heartbreak, they’ll take encouragement from the two bonus points collected as they continue their push for a top-eight finish—currently sitting six points adrift in 15th place.
Verdict: Bulls on the minus
Last week’s monumental win should see the Bulls build on their momentum and put Zebre to the sword.
Connacht 29/20 | Draw 21/1 | Munster 6/10
Connacht played out a 43-40 shootout with Ospreys last week but must tighten up defensively when they host Munster in Galway. Sitting 12th on the table and two points outside the playoff spots, Peter Wilkins’ men need to deliver in this crucial Irish derby, especially with a daunting two-game South African tour looming.
Munster edged the reverse fixture by two points in September but come into this clash on the back of consecutive defeats that have seen them slip to sixth. Without a head coach and struggling for form, they are vulnerable to being upset by their determined provincial rivals.
Verdict: Connacht on the board
Expect Connacht to grind out a big derby win and pile more pressure on Munster.
Scarlets 11/20 | Draw 20/1 | Ospreys 31/20
Scarlets were well beaten by the Stormers last week but will look to bounce back in a derby clash against Ospreys at Parc y Scarlets. Their rivals from Swansea edged the December meeting by a single point, and another closely fought battle is on the cards.
The seventh-placed Ospreys will rely on scrumhalf Kieran Hardy to dictate play as they aim to stay in the playoff mix, while Scarlets—currently in 14th—will be desperate to close their five-point gap on the top eight.
Verdict: Scarlets
Welsh derbies are notoriously tough to call, but Scarlets showed enough against the Stormers to suggest they can turn the tables this time.
Hollywoodbets Sharks 3/10 | Draw 24/1 | Leinster 26/10
The Sharks’ backline misfired badly in their narrow win over Zebre last week, and a repeat performance against Leinster could spell disaster. John Plumtree was vocal about his dissatisfaction with certain backline combinations, so expect some tweaks ahead of a massive showdown in Durban.
Leo Cullen’s side suffered their first defeat of the season last week and will be determined to make amends. While the Sharks may find success in the scrums, Leinster’s overall quality should see them capitalize on any open-play errors.
Check out the full Sharks squad for the fixture here: Sharks Team Release
Verdict: Leinster on the board
The Irish giants should have just enough to edge this one on the east coast.
Benetton 2/7 | Draw 23/1 | Cardiff 28/10
Benetton’s crucial win over Edinburgh lifted them to 10th, just a point outside the playoffs in a highly competitive mid-table battle. With a South African tour looming, followed by fixtures against Glasgow and Munster, a home victory this weekend is vital.
Cardiff finally broke their 2025 duck with a win over the Lions, snapping a six-game winless streak. Sitting fifth, they hold a slender three-point lead over Benetton, making this a must-win contest to maintain their playoff position.
Verdict: Cardiff on the board
Expect the Welsh outfit to snatch a valuable away win in Treviso.
Glasgow Warriors 1/8 | Draw 33/1 | Lions 52/10
Glasgow left it late to beat Munster last week, with substitute loosehead Nathan McBeth crashing over in the 75th minute to secure victory and keep them second in the standings. Another stern test awaits against the Lions, and they may need some magic from Kyle Steyn to see them through.
The Lions will feel they let one slip against Cardiff, with unforced errors proving costly in their fight for a top-eight place. Now sitting 13th, they’ll need a huge effort to stun the defending champions at Scotstoun.
Verdict: Glasgow on the board
Warriors should have enough firepower to keep the Lions at bay in Scotland.