European Champions Cup rugby: previews and best bets for Saturday's matches

Free rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's European matches.

Clermont v Harlequins

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Clermont to win by 11 to 20 points
1pt 13-5 Betfair, Paddy Power
Back this tip with Paddy Power

Match preview

Clermont swept aside all comers in the Challenge Cup last season and must be sizing up a decent tilt at the Champions Cup now they are back in the big time.

Their formidable home record stands at just six defeats in 48 home pool matches and five of their last six home wins at this level were by double-figure scores.

Visitors Harlequins are just two points off the bottom of the Premiership table after three defeats in their opening four fixtures and threw away a 14-3 early lead at home to Worcester last weekend to lose 19-14.

Stalwarts Danny Care and Mike Brown return for Quins but this should be a comfortable home success.

Ospreys v Munster

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Munster -16
3pts 10-11 Betfair, Hills, Paddy Power
Back this tip with Paddy Power

Match preview

Ospreys have made a poor start to their Pro14 campaign with just one win in six - a four-point home victory over Benettton - and they are unlikely to find any respite in the Champions Cup's toughest pool.

They open up as 16-point underdogs at home to Munster, who can call on most of their international cadre thanks to Ireland's earlier World Cup exit.

Keith Earls, Conor Murray, John Ryan, Jean Klein and CJ Stander all start for Munster while Tadhg Beirne is ready to make his first appearance of the season off the bench. Ospreys' only returning internationals are Nicky Smith, Bradley Davies and Alex Davies, all among the replacements.

Ospreys lost last month's Pro14 meeting in Cork 28-12 but this could be an even heavier defeat despite home advantage as Munster must sense the opportunity to make headway in their pool with tougher tests against Racing 92 and Saracens to come.

La Rochelle v Exeter

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 3.15pm Saturday

Best bet

La Rochelle +2
2pts 10-11 general
Back this tip with William Hill

Match preview

Exeter have named a strong team for their trip to France as they bid to atone for their performance against Bristol last weekend, when a 17-0 lead turned into a 20-17 defeat.

But they are sure to face a strong physical challenge from a tough Stade Rochelais outfit who look to have the power up front to stop the Chiefs playing to their strengths.

Exeter have scored seven tries this season - five from their pack and the other two from their scrum-halves - but their forwards may make little headway against the hosts' bulky unit.

La Rochelle's form this season is typically French - no wins on the road but four from four at home - and they can be backed with a small start.

Leinster v Benetton

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 3.15pm Saturday

Best bet

Benetton +12 on first-half handicap
1pt 10-11 BoyleSports
Back this tip with Paddy Power

Match preview

Leinster came away from Treviso in the opening round of the Pro14 with a 32-27 victory over Benetton but they are 24-point favourites for this Champions Cup clash in Dublin.

The hosts are boosted by the return of more of their World Cup troops, most notably fly-half Johnny Sexton but also Jordan Larmour and Gary Ringrose in the backline as well as James Ryan in the pack.

A big start and a bonus-point win will surely be the target for Leinster, who face tricky trips to Lyon and Northampton in their next two European fixtures.

But they are sure to come up against a big defensive effort from Benetton, who have beaten Edinburgh and the Kings plus suffered single-score defeats to Scarlets and Ospreys in their last four outings, and it may take a while for a reshuffled Leinster line-up to impose themselves under Sexton's direction.

Bath v Ulster

Where to watch

Channel 4 & BT Sport 2, 1pm Saturday

Best bet

Ulster +4
2pts 10-11 general
Back this tip with Coral

Match preview

Bath have had to dig deep to see off Exeter and highflying Northampton at home in the Premiership this season and they will have to find similar reserves to overcome a powerful Ulster unit in the opening round of the Champions Cup.

Ireland lock Iain Henderson returns to bolster a strong Ulster pack, and while Bath backs Jonathan Joseph and Ruaridh McConnochie also return from World Cup duty, this looks likely to be be a battle dominated by the forwards on a heavy pitch.

Ulster have won all four of their European meetings with Bath and have won at Premiership sides Leicester and Harlequins in their last two campaigns. This could be a close, hard-fought affair and the visitors look worth backing with a start.

Glasgow v Sale

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 1pm Saturday

Best bet

Glasgow -5
1pt 10-11 Betfair, BoyleSports, Paddy Power
Back this tip with Paddy Power

Match preview

After a shaky start to their Pro14 season Glasgow have run in 81 points in their last two matches and conceded just seven, and although those results came against the two weakest teams in the competition, they should be full of confidence for the visit of Sale.

There are 19 internationals in the Warriors line-up and a potent back three of Tommy Seymour, DTH van der Merwe and Ratu Tagive.

Sale have made a mixed start to their Premiership campaign and although they have a strong pack and direct kicking game, they look to be missing World Cup-winning scrum-half Faf de Klerk to give them direction.

Fly-half AJ MacGinty makes his first start for the Sharks since returning from the World Cup but the visitors may be a little too limited in attack to deny Glasgow an opening home victory.

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