Sunday’s final helping of first-round matches in the European Champions Cup starts with a showdown between Connacht and Stade Francais in Galway, where the weather forecast could prove a more useful betting guide than any amount of rugby knowledge and insight.
Connacht Can Edge Out French
Predicted rain and winds gusting up to 50mph are nothing new for the hard-working hosts, who are used to digging in and rolling up their sleeves, but it’s a challenge Stade Francais are unlikely to relish.
It’s too simplistic to cast the visitors as Parisian fancy Dans with a star-studded line-up but no stomach for a fight, but Stade are far from the force of old.
This is their first Champions Cup campaign for six years and they are languishing in tenth in the Top 14 with just one away win from six – by a single point against second-bottom Perpignan.
Conditions look sure to keep scoring low but that just plays into the hands of Connacht, who look a decent bet to win by a margin of one to 12 points at odds of 8/5.
Ospreys are underdogs when they take on Premiership outfit Sale but could put up a decent fight at the Liberty Stadium.
They sit top of the Welsh conference with wins over Ulster and Munster to their name while Sale have managed just three wins in the Premiership. The Sharks are starting to get key players back but it could be a tight scrap and an eight-point handicap start for the hosts looks generous.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT
Here is your Ospreys team to face @SaleSharksRugby in the @ChampionsCup on Sunday afternoon at the @SwanscomStadium, K.O 1pm
https://t.co/7JrwXxaZEO pic.twitter.com/OFl7Ftu9kM
— Ospreys (@ospreys) December 10, 2021
Munster head to Wasps with a real mix-and-match team after the bulk of their squad returned from South Africa to go straight into Covid quarantine. Their matchday squad features nine Test internationals but 12 debutants, and although Wasps are hit by injuries and struggling in the Premiership, they are rated favourites.
Munster still have a top-class half-back pairing of Conor Murray and Joey Carbery and plenty of attacking threat in the backline, and they can make the best of a ten-point handicap start.
La Rochelle a Bridge Too Far For Warriors
Glasgow head to last year’s beaten finalists La Rochelle, who are a big, physical outfit and are picking up some form after a shaky start to their domestic season.
They have won their last five home games by an aggregate score of 189-52, conceding no more than ten points in the last four.
The Scottish outfit have plenty of cutting edge in attack and wingers Kyle Steyn and Rufus McLean both shone in the autumn internationals.
But they may find opportunities limited by a dominant home pack and a win for La Rochelle by 11 to 20 points at around 2/1 looks the best bet.
Premiership champions Harlequins head to Castres, who are unbeaten at home this season but are five-point underdogs for this clash.
The French side’s most recent win was a dominant 25-3 success over Racing, who looked so impressive on their European bow against Northampton on Friday night. Castres have changed virtually their whole team from that victory though and this looks desperately tough to call.
*All odds correct at time of writing