European Champions Cup predictions, rugby union tips and odds: Take Toulouse

Rugby tips, best bets and tournament preview for the European Champions Cup, which starts on Friday, December 9.

Best bets

Toulouse
2pts 13-2 Hills

Lyon
1pt each-way 50-1 general

Champions Cup tournament preview

The European Champions Cup has long required teams to be able to adapt to all conditions and styles of play, with matches staged at venues ranging from the south of France to the west of Ireland.

And there's a new twist this year as Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria are added to the list with the introduction of the South African contingent from the URC.

It makes finding a winner even more of a challenge, and the market reflects just how much of an enigma it is.

English champions Leicester are 14-1 shots, URC winners the Stormers 28-1 and French champions Montpellier 33-1 shots. The top of the betting is made up of European stalwarts Leinster, who are 9-4 favourites, then come five-time winners Toulouse along with holders La Rochelle, Saracens, and Racing 92.

The format is the same as last season with the 24 teams split into two pools based on seeding and paired up with two teams they face home and away.

Looking at the pool draw Montpellier are perhaps the most eyecatching price given that they take on the two rank outsiders in the tournament, London Irish and Ospreys.

But looking at their performance last season, when they lost their two away matches at Exeter and Leinster by margins of 52-6 and 89-7, it's hard to put faith in them.

Leinster were stunned in the semi-finals last season but have shown no let-up in the URC this season and will surely challenge hard again. But their pool fixtures include a double-header against French powerhouses Racing, while holders La Rochelle also face a difficult path against Ulster and Northampton.

For a solid reliable pick - a team who have a proven track record - Toulouse could be the answer. They are top of the Top 14 table in France, have made the last four in the last four seasons including lifting the trophy in 2021, and ought to feel confident of a reasonable seeding following pool contests against Munster, who are still finding their feet under after Graham Rowntree's step up to head coach, and Sale.

South African sides punched well above their weight in the URC last season but saved their best performances for late in the campaign and may not find this short, unforgiving format to their liking. That's not to say they won't take hold of the tournament again but they are unproven against French and English clubs who may match their physicality more closely.

Saracens look to be the English side in with the best chance. Their pool-stage rivals are Edinburgh and Lyon, and the French outfit might just be worth chancing at a big price.

They were missing from the big stage last year but won the European Challenge Cup, beating Toulon in the final, and are fourth in the French table having claimed victories over last year's Top 14 finalists Montpellier and Castres as well as leaders Toulouse.

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