Connacht v Vodacom Bulls – Full Preview, Team News & Betting Odds

Connacht Rugby v Vodacom Bulls – Team News, Form & Betting Preview (URC Round 6)

Competition: BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 6
Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Date: Friday, 17 October 2025 – Kick-off 7.45pm
TV: Live on TG4 & Premier Sports 2

🟢 Connacht Team News

Head Coach Stuart Lancaster has named a powerful Connacht lineup featuring the return of Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham, and Mack Hansen, with all three British & Irish Lions starting as the province looks to make Dexcom Stadium a fortress once more.

Captain Cian Prendergast moves to openside flanker, joined by Josh Murphy and Sean Jansen in a dynamic back row. Darragh Murray and David O’Connor form the second-row partnership, while Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, and Finlay Bealham complete the front row.

Caolin Blade and Josh Ioane renew their half-back pairing, with Bundee Aki and Byron Ralston combining in midfield. Hansen lines out at full-back behind wingers Shayne Bolton and Chay Mullins.

The replacements include a 5:3 split, with academy graduates Matthew Devine, Cathal Forde, and Sean Naughton covering the backline — Naughton hailing from Kilkenny, while Devine and Forde are Galway natives.

Unavailable: Denis Buckley (hamstring), Paul Boyle (shoulder), Shamus Hurley-Langton (shoulder), Temi Lasisi (knee), Oisín Dowling (knee), Niall Murray (ankle).

“The Bulls are a formidable side, with a strong blend of power up front and pace in the back field. They were URC finalists for a reason last year, and we’re expecting a response after their defeat in Ulster. With the fans behind us, three returning Lions and a much-improved performance, it should make for a great game.”
— Stuart Lancaster

🐃 Vodacom Bulls Overview

The Bulls arrive in Galway after a bruising 28–7 defeat to Ulster in Belfast. That result ended their perfect start to the URC campaign, and they’ve now lost two consecutive away matches — something they haven’t done three times in succession since 2023.

Head coach Jake White has opted for rotation, resting several senior Springboks and naming a youthful, developmental squad for the trip to the West of Ireland.

⚖️ Strength Comparison: Bulls vs Ulster (Away) vs Connacht (Away)

⚫ Team that played Ulster (lost)

• Handré Pollard at 10 ✅
• Marco van Staden, Nizaam Carr & Jannes Kirsten in the pack ✅
• Zak Burger at 9 ✅
• Backline of Pollard, Vorster, Moodie, Le Roux & Jacobs
• First-choice front row: Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Louw

Verdict: A frontline Bulls team – arguably their strongest available XV apart from a few resting Springboks like Nortje and Coetzee. It was picked to win and had vastly more Test experience.

🔵 Team to play Connacht (this week at Dexcom Stadium)

• Missing Pollard, Burger, van Staden, Carr, Kirsten & Steenekamp
• Keagan Johannes (10) and Paul de Wet (9) start — both inexperienced
• Captain Reinhardt Ludwig leads, with fringe or academy forwards (Xaba, Theron, Rudolph)
• Bench includes Vorster, Papier, Jacobs & Grobbelaar for impact

Verdict: This is a second-string Bulls team designed to give young players exposure and rest key stars after a bruising Ulster trip. It’s lighter up front and inexperienced at half-back.

Final Verdict:
✅ Stronger Team: vs Ulster
⚠️ Weaker Team: vs Connacht (development side)

💸 Betting Market Movement

Connacht opened +6 at home to the Bulls on Monday but have since been smashed into -1 favourites by Thursday evening — one of the biggest URC line moves of the week.

Punters have piled into the home side after sharks selection announcement, viewing this as a golden opportunity for Connacht to record a morale-boosting win.

Handicap Shift (Mon ➜ Thurs):
Connacht +6 ➜ -1 🔥 7-point swing – strongest market move of the week

📊 Recent Form & Head-to-Head

• Connacht have won only two of their last eight URC games — both against Italian sides.
• Their only home defeat in the last four was 21–31 to Edinburgh.
• Bulls have lost their last two away matches and both most recent trips to Irish provinces.
• Connacht’s only previous win vs Bulls came in Galway (34–7, 2021).

📉 Stat Leaders 2025/26

Connacht:
Top Try Scorers – D. O’Connor, D. Tierney-Martin, J. Ioane, S. Jansen, S. Naughton (1 each)
Top Points – Cathal Forde (9)

Bulls:
Top Try Scorer – Johan Grobbelaar (3)
Top Points – Keagan Johannes (15)

Head-to-Head:
Top Try Scorers – David Hawkshaw
Top Points – David Kriel (17)

💰 Betting Tips & Prediction

It’s very hard back Connacht at 8/11 when they were 5/2 on Monday, but punters can’t see them losing against a 3rd string Bulls team.

Prediction: Connacht 27 – 20 Vodacom Bulls