Friday's European Champions Cup predictions and rugby union tips

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Cardiff v Harlequins and Castres v Munster in the European Champions Cup.

Cardiff v Harlequins

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Cardiff +11
1pt 10-11 Hills

Preview

Harlequins have developed a taste for Europe after opening their Champions Cup campaign with back-to-back wins but a third straight success won’t come easy against Cardiff.

The English champions cross the River Severn riding a five-match winning run in all competitions, a sequence that includes a 43-17 victory over the Blues in December’s reverse fixture.

The scorelines hides the fact Cardiff were forced to field a makeshift side due to Covid absences and that Quins were held in check by their patched-up opponents for the best part of an hour.

This time, Cardiff look far stronger with six internationals, including fly-half Jarrod Evans and full-back Hallam Amos, returning to bolster the ranks of a team who have won four out of five at home in the United Rugby Championship when at full strength.

A number of the Blues’ big names were kept out of their first URC match since October last weekend - a 34-10 loss to Edinburgh - with one eye on Harlequins’ visit.

Quins will be happy they don’t have to deal with a vociferous Cardiff Arms Park crowd - the game is being played behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions - as they bid to secure a place in the knockout rounds.

They’ve made minimal changes from a bruising win over Exeter Chiefs last weekend, a game in which they struggled to open up their opponents despite having a man advantage for the whole of the second half.

Points haven’t flowed as freely for Harlequins this season as they did last, particularly away from home where they haven’t managed to score more than 26, and unless they break that cycle, they look set to struggle to cover a double-figure handicap.

Castres v Munster

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Munster to win by one to 12 points
1pt 8-5 Boyles

Preview

Munster have recalled the big guns for thire trip to Castres as they bid for a ninth win in 11 meetings with the French outfit.

Simon Zebo, Keith Earls and Andrew Conway have been included in an effort to add more cutting edge to a team who have gone off the boil in attack.

Munster are the lowest-scoring side amongst the URC’s top eight and yet are nine-point favourites in the handicap market.

Although Castres are showing only minimal interest in Europe this year, they haven’t made themselves easy to beat, losing to Harlequins by two and Munster by six.

Factor in Munster’s patchy record in France and a narrow away win at odds-against appeals.

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