Our TopBets, rugby experts will provide you with the latest rugby predictions on rugby from across the globe. The emphasis will be on the major leagues like the United Rugby Championship (URC), Super Rugby and of course our very own local Currie Cup. You can be assured all the big rugby this weekend will be previewed on this page.
Rugby Predictions FRIDAY 28 AUGUST 2026
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Latest Betway Rugby odds
No Rugby odds available.For Rugby Fixtures Today
Lions(-6.5)1.90 vs Stormers XXIII
Tip 1: Pumas to win
Reason for the tip: The Lions host Stormers XXIII in a crucial Carling Currie Cup final-round clash, with both teams needing victory to keep their semi-final hopes alive. The Lions will be captained by Jarod Cairns at number eight, with Matt Coetzee starting at fly-half and Asad Moos at scrum-half. Stormers XXIII will be led by Ezekiel Ngobeni from scrum-half, with Kyle Smith at fly-half and Eric Basson at number eight. With the season on the line, both teams will know that every opportunity must be taken. The Lions will look to use their home advantage and attacking options to put pressure on the visitors.
Stormers XXIII have plenty of attacking quality, with Dylan Miller at full-back, Joel Leotlela on the wing and Markus Muller at outside centre. The Lions will counter with Gilermo Mentoe at full-back, alongside Keagan Smith and Latica Nela on the wings. Both sides also have strong benches that could prove decisive in the closing stages. With neither team able to afford defeat, we expect a physical and highly competitive encounter from the opening whistle. The Lions have home advantage, but Stormers XXIII will be determined to produce a performance strong enough to keep their semi-final dream alive. I am backing the home side to win and cover the -6.5 handicap.
Rugby Handicap Betting
Handicap Betting Tips for Today
Sharks vs Bulls: Home team (-12.5) 1.80 odds
Reason for tip: Both the Sharks and Bulls XV have the final match of their Carling Currie Cup season where none of them will be qualifying for the playoffs. This means that there is nothing at stake except a win since both teams will want to conclude their seasons positively. The Sharks captain will be Ross Braude who plays in scrum-half position, Tim Swiel in the fly-half position and Hanu Pieterse in the number eight position. The Bulls XV has Keagan Johannes in scrum-half position, Ian Van der Merwe in fly-half position and Chinedu Amadi in number eight position. Both teams have selected strong starting teams.
The Sharks team has players who can play well in attack in their backline which includes Luan Giliomee in the full-back position, Christie Grobbelaar and Khuthi Rasivhaga in the wings and Lyle Matthews in the outside center position. The Bulls XV will counter them with Aka Boqwana in the full-back position, Ruan Enslin in the wings and Marnus Rademeyer in the outside center position. The Sharks have the more experienced line up and that will prove the difference. I am backing the home side to win and cover the -12.5 handicap.
Rugby fixtures this weekend
Accumulator of the Day
- Auckland vs Bay of Plenty-Away win
- Sharks vs Bulls XV- Home win
- Lions vs Stormers XVIII-Home win
Rugby Results Yesterday
- Cheetahs vs Boland- Home win✅
- Otago vs Wellington- Home win✅
- Waikato vs Counties Manukau- Home win✅
- York vs Leeds-Away win✅
Rugby tomorrow
- Pumas vs Cheetahs
- South Africa vs New Zealand
- Argentina vs Australia
- Taranaki vs Canterbury
- Otago vs Waikato
- Manawatu vs North Harbour
Understanding Rugby Betting
It is crucial that players understand the different types of rugby betting. If a player places a wager on a handicap bet with fully understanding it, he could think they won the bet but instead they lost the bet as they did not understand how it works. Our rugby predictions will give you the option of the three way bet or the handicap betting as our previews will focus on this.
Different types of Rugby bets
Match Winner
The most self-explanatory of bets to take on a rugby match. This is the most common and oldest type of rugby bet in which you select Team A or Team B to win. The odds on this type of bet may be low especially if your team is the favourite.
Draw No Bet
The draw is quite rare in Rugby Union, but it does happen from time to time. If you’re worried about the draw messing up your bet then take a Draw No Bet market. Your bet will be refunded if the match result ends in a draw.
Handicap Betting
The most popular bets on rugby are handicap bets. This is often where some of the best value is to be found. The handicap is an advantage that bookmakers give one team to make the game more balanced. The team given the positive handicap can win, draw or lose the game by less than the handicap to cover the bet and win. The team with the negative handicap must win the match by more than the points set out in the handicap to win their bet.
Total points over/under
The over/under betting market involves predicting whether the total number of points scored in a match will be above or lower than a certain predetermined number. For instance, if you bet on the over/under 50 points market and you bet on under, the combined score of the two teams shouldn’t exceed 50.
First Try Scorer
Rugby fans know the excitement that comes when a player breaks through the defence to score the first try. Betting on the first-try scorer is about predicting which player from either team will cross the try line first. This bet type carries higher odds as it’s challenging to predict, making potential payouts more lucrative.
Anytime Try Scorer
Less specific than the first-try scorer bet, the anytime try scorer wager involves picking a player you believe will score a try at any point during the match. The odds are typically lower than for the first-try scorer but offer a better chance of a payout.
FAQs
1 How long is a game of rugby?
A game of rugby is 80 minutes
2. How many players are there on a rugby team?
There are 15 players a side except in Rugby 7s where there are 5 players a side.
3. Where to watch rugby live?
Most of the rugby matches in South Africa can be watched live on Supersport. Betting sites like Betway and WSB offer live streaming on selected matches.
4. How to stream live rugby in South Africa for free?
Rugby Pass offers free streaming of selected matches.
