The Heineken Champions Cup group stages concludes this weekend and we take a look at the three matches involving South African sides and suggest a bet in each game.
Let’s start with a look at the latest Outright Betting where we have Leinster trading as favourites 29/20 ahead of Toulon and La Rochelle both priced at 9/2. Saracens are 13/2 and you can get 12/1 the Sharks and 14/1 and better the balance. Looking down at the other South African sides, the Stormers are 25/1 and the Blue Bulls 35/1.
Click here for the latest Heineken Champions Cup Outright Betting
FRIDAY
Lyon v Blue Bulls – Click here to bet
Lyon’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs are slim and they currently sit 10th on their group and they need to finish in the Top 8 to qualify. They are coming off back-to-back defeats against the Saracens, going down 28-20 in France and then coming back strongly last week to lose 48-28 after getting blown off the park in the first half.
The Bulls are only 1 bonus point from ensuring they qualify for the last 8 and of the two sides I feel they have that bit more to play for. The Bulls beat Exeter Chiefs 39-28 at home last week and they saw off Lyon 42-36 when they met at Loftus in Round 1.
Handicap: Lyon -1.5
Suggested Bet: Bulls win at 23/20
I expect a fairly close start, but believe the French side will fall away at some point.
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SATURDAY
Harlequins v Sharks – Click here to bet
Harlequins are 7th on the table and they need to beat the Sharks to ensure they are going to qualify. The Sharks have already qualified and are sitting 2nd in their pool and a victory here would ensure a home quarter-final.
The Harlequins went down 30-29 away to Racing last week it was a game where they had to come from behind, but they would have felt that they should have won it given they were playing against 12 men at one point.
The Sharks were far too strong for Bordeaux last week in Durban, winning 32-3 and they had also beaten Bordeaux 19-16 in France. Their opening game came against the Harlequins at home where they won a high scoring encounter 39-31.
Handicap: Harlequins -3.5
Suggested Bet: Half-Time / Full-Time, Sharks / Harlequins at 11/2
My main focus on this game will be the Total Points Line as I fancy another high scoring encounter, but in the absence of those markets at the time of posting I am going to take a speculative play that the Sharks could lead at the break, but that the Harlequins storm back to win the match.
Stormers v Clermont – Click here to bet
The Stormers are currently 4th in Pool B and look likely to qualify even if they are defeated while a bonus point will ensure they are involved in the last 16 action.
The Stormers were too strong for the London Irish over the last two weeks winning 28-14 away from home last weekend and 34-14 in Cape Town.
Clermont had beaten the Stormers 24-14 on the road in the opening match of the Tournament, but their form has dipped since and they lost home and away to the Leicester Tigers with last week’s 44-29 home defeat particularly damaging.
Handicap: Stormers -15.5
Suggested Bet: First-Half Winning Margin, Stormers by 8-14 points inclusive at 21/10
I am expecting a strong start by the home team and reckon by the end of the first-half the visitors will be starting to fade.
Click here for betting on all of the weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup Matches
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
