Adam Williams presents his prediction for the European Rugby Champions Cup match.
Both teams not only suffered defeats in the opening round of the Champions Cup but also haven't been delivering sparkling performances overall. Both the English and South African sides have faced three defeats in their recent matches, yet one team's losing streak must come to an end.
Harlequins
It seems the home side might have an edge here. At least, that's the view expressed by former Harlequins legend Chris Robshaw. The ex-flanker believes that without a win at home, aiming for a place in the playoffs will be almost impossible. Indeed, this is an obvious truth in rugby; so much hinges on home matches, which clubs typically do not lose. However, Harlequins should be concerned. They have three losses alongside three victories in recent times, though one of those defeats was from the previous season. At the Stoop, Harlequins lost to the top two Premiership sides: Bath Rugby (24:26) and Bristol Bears (24:48).
Stormers
Judging by the Stormers' position in the United Rugby Championship, they're not as formidable as London’s rivals in England. They've suffered four defeats in the first six rounds. Half of these losses were away games, even against a relatively weaker side like Edinburgh Rugby (7:38).
Harlequins vs Stormers Prediction
Given the current form of the Stormers, the home team should handle them, but we don't believe they will achieve a blowout like Edinburgh did. It's more likely that the point difference will be similar to their encounter with another Scottish club, Glasgow Warriors (10:27), in the URC 2023/24 quarter-finals.
