The Challenge Cup knockouts are here, with the Hollywoodbets Sharks at home to Zebre and the Lions and Cheetahs in Italy and France respectively.
Friday 5 April
Gloucester 2/9 | Draw 22/1 | Castres 7/2 (21:00)
Gloucester will be confident of outdoing Castres at the Kingsholm after some improved showings of late. Having beaten Leicester Tigers twice in successive weeks, the first in the final of the Premiership Rugby Cup, there’s good reason to believe George Skivington’s side will have enough in the tank at home to make it to the last eight.
Castres are eighth in the Top 14 and well on the playoff hunt. It remains to be seen just how many front-line players will feature for Jeremy Davidson come Friday, but in all likelihood, it will be a team of second-stingers who may not have enough quality to get over the line.
Verdict: Gloucester 2/9
French teams don’t travel well. Gloucester should win here with minimal fuss.
Saturday 6 April
Clermont Auvergne | Draw | Cheetahs (13:30) *betting TBA
The Cheetahs face a daunting prospect in taking on La Yellow Army at the Stade Marcel-Michelin. Hawies Fourie’s men acquitted themselves well in the pool stages of the competition, finishing second in Pool A despite beating eventual pool winners the Sharks, and certainly won’t die wondering here. Unfortunately, their lack of playing opportunities and the home support will work against them
Clermont are 11th in the Top 14 having had a far-from-ideal campaign thus far, but they should still be far too good for the Free Staters on Saturday. They’ll pounce on any rustiness or unforced errors and should claim a comfortable victory.
Verdict: Clermont
This should be a comfortable enough win for the French outfit.
Benetton | Draw | Lions (18:30) *betting TBA
The Lions have a proper test on their hands at the Stadio Communale. They showed in their recent thumping of Connacht in Galway that they’re not a team to turn down a scrap and that could prove the difference coming up against Benetton.
The hosts may not be playing as well as they were at the beginning of the season, but they remain sixth in the URC and should be Challenge Cup dark horses once again. The home support should play a big role, but the Lions’ physicality will be tough for them to contain.
Verdict: Lions
It should be a close-run thing, but the South Africans should edge this affair in Italy.
Sunday 7 April
Montpellier | Draw | Ulster (13:30) *betting TBA
Montpellier may be 13th in the Top 14, but they, along with every other French club, know how to turn it on in European competitions when hosting. Despite coming off two losses, the home support should give Patrice Collazo’s men the boost they need.
After two defeats in South Africa, a trip to the GGL isn’t exactly what coach-less Ulster need right now. They’ll be their typical brave selves but it’s tough seeing them get close.
Verdict: Montpellier
Montpellier should be too good at home for travel-weary Ulster.
Hollywoodbets Sharks | Draw | Zebre (16:00) *betting TBA
It would appear that the Hollywoodbets Sharks have turned a corner after two great wins in succession over Ulster and Edinburgh in the URC. It’s no secret that the players and management are making this competition a priority and they should avenge their November defeat to the Italian side with ease.
Zebre will take heart out of that two-point win at the backend of last year, but their Challenge Cup campaign comes to an end here.
Verdict: Hollywoodbets Sharks
The Sharks should prove far too good for the Italians at what could be a rain-soaked Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
Quickfire predictions:
- Edinburgh to beat Bayonne by 10 or less
- Sale Sharks to beat Ospreys by 12 or less
- Connacht to beat Pau by five or less
