2025-26 United Rugby Championship Round 1 Predictions & Tips

Stormers vs Leinster Predictions - Leinster to secure victory in Cape Town

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 23 Sep 2025

Simon Lewis 23 Sep 2025

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Leinster dominated last URC season, winning 16 out of 18 matches.
Stormers strong at home; have beaten Leinster in Cape Town before.
Both teams missing key players due to international duty.
Leinster predicted to win, but Stormers likely to stay within a 14-point margin.

Stormers have won their last 2 home matches against Leinster. (Getty Images)

Stormers vs Leinster Predictions

This is an intriguing game to get the 2025/26 URC campaign underway. Leinster dominated last season, but the Stormers have a good home record against them. Considering the players missing for the hosts, I do feel Leinster will win, but the hosts are tipped to get within the 14-point handicap.

Stormers vs Leinster Predictions
Head to Head
Stormers Form
Stormers Team News
Leinster Form
Leinster Team News

Stormers have won their last 2 home matches against Leinster.
Leinster won 16 of their 18 URC matches last season.
Leinster beat the Stormers by 24 points at home last season.

Head to Head

In 2025, Leinster beat the Stormers 36-12 at home. The year before, the Stormers beat Leinster 42-12 in Cape Town. They drew in 2023 and in 2022, the Stormers won at home.

Stormers Form

The Stormers go into the fifth year of the URC with high hopes of once again challenging for the title. They did so in the first two seasons 2021/22 and 2022/23 where they won it and ended as runners-up.

Last season, the Stormers again made the playoffs, finishing fifth on the table with 55 points. They won 10 and lost eight of their 18 matches in the United Rugby Championship.

Home form will be key to John Dobson’s side this season, but facing the defending champions in the opening match was never going to be easy.

Stormers Team News

The Stormers are without many first-choice players who find themselves on international duty. However, they have internationals who are not with the Springboks, particularly players like Evan Roos who will have a point to prove. Flanker Deon Fourie is also back from injury.

In the back division they are missing plenty of players. New signing Cobus Reinach is still on international duty, as is Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Leinster Form

Leinster dominated the URC last season, as they tend to do most seasons. However, this time they went all the way, avoiding upsets in the knockouts to claim the title on home soil.

After 18 matches in the URC during the 2024/25 season, Leinster won 16 and lost just two. They have a massive 286 positive points difference.

After beating the Bulls in the final last season, Leinster will be aiming to go back-to-back this year, however, as usual, their priority will fall on winning the European Champions Cup.

They don’t have a great record in South Africa, but Leinster often send weakened sides over to the Southern tip of Africa. They should be far better this time around.

Leinster Team News

Leinster are missing some key players in Hugo Keenan, Caelan Doris and Joe McCarthy, all of whom are internationals. They have been boosted by the return from injury of Robbie Henshaw, Jordan Larmour and Will Connors, although it is unlikely any of them will be rushed back to start.

Verdict

Stormers v Leinster

Leinster have a superb side despite two or three injuries while the Stormers are missing some key individuals to international duty. I am backing the hosts on the +14 handicap.

Stormers +14

Handicap

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