European Champions Cup predictions and rugby union tips: Take Toulouse

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Sunday's European Champions Cup quarter-finals.

The bottom half of the Champions Cup draw is an all-French affair featuring four-time winners Toulouse, Racing 92 and Clermont who between them have reached six of the last eight finals, plus Bordeaux, 22-1 shots at the outset but who saw off Premiership leaders Bristol last week to reach the last eight.

Bordeaux v Racing 92

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 12.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Racing 92
2pts 11-8 bet365, Hills

Match preview

League form tells you there's little between these teams but star-studded Parisian outfit Racing 92 hold by far the greater European pedigree and their exceptional scoring power can take them into the semi-finals.

Racing were 17-12 winners when the teams met in the league in December at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, the scene of Sunday's showdown, but lost the return fixture 33-32 at home in January.

That defeat to Racing was one of only two Bordeaux have suffered at home in ten home fixtures in the Top 14 this season but Racing stand second in the away form table in France, with six wins in ten, and saw off Harlequins 49-7 in their away pool-stage match.

They followed that up with a 56-3 thrashing of Edinburgh in last week's round of 16. Racing field a much-changed side from that tie but moving former Wallaby Kurtley Beale from full-back to inside centre gives them a range of playmaking options and with powerful pack up front the visitors look good value at odds-against.

Clermont v Toulouse

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 3pm Sunday

Best bet

Toulouse to win by one to 12 points
1pt 17-10 Betfred

Match preview

The progress of the French national side from a collection of mercurial talents to an efficient and effective unit is reflected in Toulouse, who boast the international half-back duo of Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack.

Les Toulousains top the league and their clinical edge was underlined by last week's 40-33 victory over Munster in Limerick, and no team in the Top 14 this season has won more away games than their tally of seven.

Clermont, by contrast, have played their trademark expansive rugby in Europe this season, which opened with a 51-38 victory at Bristol, a 31-39 home defeat to Munster and then last week's 27-25 success at Wasps.

The hosts can point to a 33-30 home victory over Toulouse in the opening round of the Top 14 but Toulouse have the key strengths of knockout rugby in their locker and they look better equipped to produce a clinical performance and edge a win.

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