Investec Champions Cup Predictions – Round 3

Meanwhile, the Stormers and Bulls must win their games on Saturday to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Round of 16 alive. The Capetonians will look to open their account against the Sale Sharks at DHL Stadium while the Bulls are in France, where they face Castres at Stade Pierre-Fabre.

Glasgow Warriors vs Racing 92

When: Friday, 10 January – 22:00 SAST

United Rugby Championship champions Glasgow have shown they belong in the upper echelons of club rugby by running the Northampton Saints rugged at home and pushing Toulon to the limit in France.

Franco Smith’s side suffered a 10-7 defeat at Edinburgh last time out in the URC but expect a backlash from them here as their power and fluidity will be too much for Racing 92, who’re winless in their last four games in all competitions, to handle.

Prediction: Glasgow Warriors by 21.
Suggested Bet: Glasgow Warriors -15.5 at 1.84.

Stormers vs Sale Sharks

When: Saturday, 11 January – 15:00 SAST

The Stormers are winless in Europe’s top-flight this season, having suffered a 24-14 home loss to Toulon and a 53-16 away defeat to Harlequins.

However, they’ve won back-to-back derbies against the Lions and Sharks in the URC to turn the tide and look to continue that momentum to break their Champions Cup duck.

Sale split their first two games, losing 38-19 in Glasgow and bouncing back with a 29-7 home win over Racing 92. They had a three-match winning streak ended by a 36-20 away defeat to Gloucester in the Premiership last weekend.

John Dobson has vowed that his revitalised troops will have a full go this weekend and with the momentum they’ve built and major strike power they’ve regained in the pack, they should prevail.

Prediction: Stormers by 7.
Suggested Bet: Sale Sharks +7.5 at 1.83.

Exeter Chiefs vs Bordeaux-Begles

When: Saturday, 11 January – 17:15 SAST

A clash of teams on opposite trajectories. The Exeter Chiefs are yet to get off the mark following heavy losses to the Sharks (39-21) away and Toulouse (21-64) at home, while Bordeaux-Begles have banked successive wins over the Leicester Tigers (42-28) and Ulster (40-19).

Exeter aren’t near the champion side they were in 2020 and are second from bottom in the Premiership, having won just one of their 10 games. Bordeaux, meanwhile, are leading the way in the TOP 14, so expect them to continue their winning ways. 

Prediction: Bordeaux-Begles by 15.
Suggested Bet: Exeter Chiefs +15.5 at 1.84

Sharks vs Toulouse

When: Saturday, 11 January – 17:15 SAST

There will be a Test match atmosphere at Kings Park as the Sharks welcome the kings of club rugby and defending Champions Cup champions to Durban.

In as close to a Springbok vs France rematch of the 2023 World Cup quarterfinal epic that fans will see before the nations collide in November, a Bok-laden Sharks side will put their best foot forward against a Les Bleus-loaded Toulouse outfit.

The hosts will be boosted by the fit-again duo of Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi, while the visitors will be steered by  Antoine Dupont in what’ll be the world’s leading scrumhalf’s first game in the southern hemisphere in eight years.

As formidable as the Sharks are on paper, they’re still a work in progress whereas Toulouse are the finished product. Thus, the French giants should come away with the win.

Prediction: Toulouse by 10.
Suggested Bet: Toulouse -9.5 at 1.83.

Munster vs Saracens

When: Saturday, 11 January – 19:30 SAST

Third in Pool 3, Munster host the team right above them in second place.

The Irish side have come out of a disastrous start to the URC, which saw Graham Rowntree axed, quite well. They started their Champions Cup campaign with a 26-point win over Stade Francais before coming up just short against Castres in France.

Saracens have impressed with convincing wins over the Bulls and Stade Francais. This will be their toughest test to date but I have a feeling the balanced English outfit will get it done.

Prediction: Saracens by 2.
Suggested Bet: Saracens at 1.95.

Stade Francais vs Northampton Saints

When: Saturday, 11 January – 19:30 SAST

Teams on opposite ends of Pool 3 face off in Paris.

The Saints top the table thanks to their back-to-back bonus point wins over Castres (38-8) and the Bulls (30-21) while Stade Francais are rooted at the bottom after being blown away by Munster (33-7) and Saracens (28-17).

The Premiership champions are in a different class than the Parisians and should pull away eventually to make it a hat-trick of wins in this year’s Champions Cup.

Prediction: Northampton Saints by 12.
Suggested Bet: Northampton Saints -7.5 at 1.83.

Leicester Tigers vs Ulster

When: Saturday, 11 January – 22:00 SAST

The Leicester Tigers showed their teeth in Round Two, ripping the Sharks to shreds to record a 56-17 victory and put their 42-28 opening-round defeat to Bordeaux behind them.

They’ll feast on an Ulster side who’re out of their depth. The Irish club did manage a morale-boosting 17-7 win over Connacht in the URC last time out to snap a five-match losing streak, but they won’t trouble the Tigers.

Prediction: Leicester Tigers by 18.
Suggested Bet: Leicester Tigers -15.5 at 1.84.

Castres vs Bulls

When: Saturday, 11 January – 22:00 SAST

The Bulls, like the Stormers, find themselves in a do-or-die situation but theirs is considerably more challenging with it being away from home.

Losses to Saracens (27-5) and the Northampton Saints (30-21) have them down in the dumps with zero points. However, the men from Pretoria thrive when they have their backs against the wall, so expect a big effort from them.

Castres made a poor start to their campaign, going down 38-8 to the Saints, but rebounded with a 16-14 win over Munster in which they showed a lot of character.

Fresh off a 24-19 victory over Pau in the TOP 14, they’ll benefit greatly from home-ground advantage and should edge it.

Prediction: Castres by 3.
Suggested Bet: Bulls +5.5 at 1.83.

Toulon vs Harlequins

When: Sunday, 12 January – 15:00 SAST

Toulon have looked the business in this year’s Champions Cup and top Pool 4 courtesy of their 24-14 and 30-29 wins over the Stormers and Glasgow respectively.

After stumbling out of the gates in their 23-12 defeat to Racing 92, Harlequins returned home and routed the Stormers 53-16 to move into third place.

With a ton of X-factor, Quins can never be counted out, but they don’t have the strength and tactical acumen to topple their hosts.

Prediction: Leicester Tigers by 7.
Suggested Bet: Harlequins +8.5 at 1.83.

La Rochelle v Leinster

When: Sunday, 12 January – 17:15 SAST

One of the biggest rivalries in the European game will be renewed in this Group 2 top-of-the-table clash at Stade Marcel-Deflandre. Both powerhouses have passed their first two tests with La Rochelle leading the group due to their superior points difference.

The French club famously defeated Leinster in back-to-back Champions Cup finals in 2022 and 2023 while the Irish club got a measure of revenge by doing the double over La Rochelle last season, beating them 16-9 in the group phase and ending their reign with a 40-13 quarterfinal triumph.

La Rochelle are down in sixth place in the TOP 14 and narrowly beat a youthful Toulouse at home last weekend. They’ll lift their game for this titanic tussle but I can’t see them stopping an imperious Leinster side who’re unbeaten in all competitions this season.

Prediction: Leinster by 5.
Suggested Bet: La Rochelle +5.5 at 1.84.

Bristol Bears v Benetton

When: Sunday, 12 January – 17:15 SAST

After having the bad fortune of having to face Leinster and La Rochelle in their first two fixtures, Bristol have some respite as they take on Italy’s lone representatives.

That said, Benetton will fancy their chances as they’re on a three-match winning streak in all competitions, including a 22-21 victory over vaunted Bath in their last Champions Cup match.

With it being a make-or-break game for the Bears to have any hopes of sneaking into the knockout stages, you’d have to back them at home, but I won’t be surprised to see some money come in on Benetton given the odds.

Prediction: Bristol Bears by 9.
Suggested Bet: Benetton +14.5 at 1.83.

Bath v Clermont

When: Sunday, 12 January – 19:30 SAST

It’s last chance saloon for winless Bath, who’ve been unable to carry their form as Premiership pacesetters over to the Champions Cup. There’s no doubt they have the quality of a quarterfinal team, they just haven’t delivered on the European stage yet this season.

Clermont caught Benetton cold in Round One, blanking them 28-0, before dropping three in a row in all competitions including a 15-7 loss to Leinster. They turned the corner with a 20-19 victory over Vannes in the TOP 14 last weekend, but I expect the real Bath to stand up and make their presence known.

Prediction: Bath by 7.
Suggested Bet: Clermont +14.5 at 1.83.