European Rugby Champions Cup preview
European rugby’s premier club competition is 30 years old and Toulouse, who lifted the trophy in that first final in 1996, are favourites to do so again next May in Bilbao.
Pedigree counts for a lot in this competition and the short pool format, with just four matches, leaves little margin for error.
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European Rugby Champions Cup betting tips & predictions
Best bet
Toulon to win European Rugby Champions Cup
2pts each-way 20-1 Coral, Ladbrokes
European Rugby Champions Cup preview
The last decade of European rugby has been all about Toulouse and Leinster plus a few other contenders who have come and gone.
Bordeaux became the latest club to add their name to the roll of honour last season, while Saracens, La Rochelle and Toulon are among those going to post who have lifted the trophy in the last ten years.
At least one of Toulouse and Leinster has reached the final in six of the last eight seasons and the decorated pair went head to head in 2024, so it is no surprise to see them and the holders dominating the outright market.
Of those three Toulouse look worthy favourites as the French champions are top of the table again and have scrum-half Antoine Dupont. They were unfortunate last season to finish second in their pool despite four wins out of four, three with bonus points – Bordeaux pipped them with a perfect haul of bonus-point wins to enjoy a run of home games through the knockout stage.
A strong performance in the pool stage is crucial as it determines seeding in the knockouts, which then confers home advantage. In the last two seasons, seven of the eight round-of-16 matches and three of the four quarter-finals have been won by the home team.
Three wins is the minimum for a top-two finish, so at least one win on the road is needed and that’s why the big two of Toulouse and Leinster, with a perfect four wins from four in each of the last three seasons, rate so highly.
Other teams can cash in from a favourable split of home and away games and this year that could open the door for Toulon, three-time winners in the 2010s and now riding high again in the Top 14.
The French side’s key pool rivals are Bath and Munster, both of whom they face at home, while their away trips are to Gloucester and Edinburgh, two of the tournament’s rank outsiders.
Toulon topped their pool last season and swatted aside Saracens 72-42 in the first knockout round before losing narrowly to Toulouse in the quarters. At a double-figure price they look a worthwhile pick.
While Toulouse are top of the table in France, Leinster and Bordeaux have not made the strongest starts and all three face tough pool contests against clubs with strong European records.
European Champions Cup betting odds
Sign up with bet365 to bet on the European Champions Cup. Here are the latest odds.
TeamOddsToulouse5-2Leinster5-2
Bordeaux10-3Bath15-2La Rochelle14-1Northampton16-1
Toulon18-1Bulls18-1Saracens22-1
Munster25-1Glasgow25-1
Bar40-1
Odds correct at time of publishing
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FAQs
When is the European Rugby Champions Cup being played ?
The pool stage runs over four weekends in December and January, and the knockout stage begins after the Six Nations in March.
What is the format for the European Rugby Champions Cup?
The tournament is made up of eight teams each from the English Premiership, France’s Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship. They are divided into four pools of six and each team plays the other four clubs from outside their own league, two at home and two away.
The top two finishers in each pool have home ties in the round of 16 against the teams who finish third and fourth according to seeding. The fifth-placed teams drop to the European Challenge Cup.
What is the betting for European Rugby Champions Cup?
Six-time winners Toulouse are 5-2 joint-favourites with Leinster at bet365 while holders Bordeaux are 10-3. English champions Bath are 15-2 and it’s 14-1 bar those four
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