European Champions Cup predictions and rugby union tips: Racing ready to rule

Rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for the European Champions Cup, which starts on Friday.

Best bet

Racing 92 to lift trophy
1pt each-way 9-1 Betfred, BoyleSports

Tournament preview

French clubs were the dominant force in last season's European Champions Cup, providing three of the four semi-finalists, and four of the first six clubs in the betting this term are Top 14 outfits.

The form from last season's edition may not be the most reliable - the pool stage was cut short after two rounds and some clubs, including champions Toulouse and runners-up La Rochelle, had played only one match at that stage.

And there may be more disruption to this tournament as one opening-round match has already been called off, while Cardiff face favourites Toulouse on Saturday with a seriously depleted team.

That's an early boost for backers of Toulouse, who are also drawn alongside under-achieving Wasps, and the holders are second in the Top 14 standings with nine wins from 12 games. Les Toulousains are no giveaway at 3-1 but they should open with a bonus-point win away from home, which is a great foundation to build on.

Leinster are next in the betting, but although they remain almost untouchable in the United Rugby Championship and should face a straightforward task against winless Bath in their opener, they also face Montpellier, last season's European Challenge Cup winners and now third in the Top 14.

The Irish outfit were undone by La Rochelle in the semi-finals last term and will be only too aware of the challenge from France.

La Rochelle feature prominently in the trophy betting, as do Top 14 leaders Bordeaux, but preference is for Paris outfit Racing, who have gone deep in the tournament consistently.

They were edged out by three points at Bordeaux in last season's quarter-final but appeared in two of the previous three finals, and suffered a one-point quarter-final defeat to Toulouse in between.

Pool opponents Northampton and Ospreys aren't the toughest and in the last four seasons Racing have picked up five wins, a draw and three bonus-point defeats in away matches in Britain and Ireland, a record that contrasts with the usual impression of French sides as flaky travellers.

Racing are going through a wobble in the Top 14, with one win in their last five, but have named a strong team for their opening trip to Northampton and look focused on more European success.

Of the English contenders, Premiership champions Harlequins ought to fare well in their pool against Cardiff and Castres but don't have a great pedigree in the knockout stage, while table-topping Leicester go to Top 14 leaders Bordeaux in their opener.

Exeter and Bristol, Champions Cup and Challenge Cup winners in 2020, haven't made the best start to their domestic seasons, although the Bears' pool-stage campaign against Scarlets and Stade Francais looks less taxing and they are getting players back from injury.

Six teams from the Champions Cup will drop to the Challenge Cup come the knockout stage, although we already have an odds-on favourite for that tournament in the shape of Saracens.

Sarries have been European champions in three of the last six seasons and will take some stopping following their drop to the second tier.

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