Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the United Rugby Championship match.
The second semi-final of the United Rugby Championship is set to resonate strongly with fans of the South Africa national rugby union team and South African rugby in general, as the Vodacom Bulls face the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Pretoria.
Vodacom Bulls
The Bulls secured their spot in the semi-finals without much trouble. Their opponent in the previous round was Edinburgh Rugby, who finished seventh in the regular season and posed little threat. The Bulls had already defeated them earlier in the season with a narrow 22:16 victory, and then again more convincingly in the quarter-finals with a 42:33 scoreline. So, can they be beaten? Over the past six months, only three teams out of ten have managed to do so — and Hollywoodbets Sharks were one of them, winning 29:19 on 15 February.
Hollywoodbets Sharks
Did you know rugby can feature a penalty shootout? It’s a rarity, reserved for only the most evenly matched contests — and that’s exactly what happened in the Sharks quarter-final match. Playing at home, they ended both regulation and extra time level at 24:24. In the resulting kicking contest, all six of their players converted their attempts.
Vodacom Bulls vs Hollywoodbets Sharks Prediction
Although the Sharks had a more demanding path to the semi-finals, they’ve shown they can match up well against the Bulls. They’ve already defeated them twice this season — once at home (20:17) and, as noted, once in Pretoria. With that in mind, and despite the risks involved, we’re backing the visitors to advance.
