The Challenge Cup is well into its final stretch with the semi-finals taking place this weekend. While the two ties aren't exactly packed full of glamour clubs, big name French outfit Toulon is involved in one of them with the Top 14 heavyweights taking on ever improving Italian outfit, Benetton.
Sunday 30 April
Toulon 17/100 | Draw 22/1 | Benetton 42/10
Handicap
Toulon (-11.5) 17/20 | Benetton (+11.5) 17/20
It may not have been the European trophy esteemed Toulon wanted but you can be sure the Top 14 heavy hitters will be going all out to claim it and add another piece of hardware to their cabinet.
The hosts for Saturday’s encounter have been pretty impressive during the play-off phase of the Challenge Cup beating a Cheetahs side loaded with solid veterans 36-21 in the Round of 16 and then coasting past domestic foes Lyon 48-23 in the quarters.
While Toulon looked really sharp in thn Europe, they have been hit-and-miss on the domestic front over the past fortnight beating strugglers Perpignan 37-15 before going down 31-18 away to Castres this past weekend.
Benetton were arguably the more impressive of the sides in the run to the semi-finals as they hammered URC opponents Connacht 41-19 before edging the Cardiff Blues 27-23 in the quarter-finals.
The Italians haven’t had the best of times on the URC front recently with their tour of South Africa something of a flop as they went down 43-33 to the Sharks in Durban and 38-22 to the Stormers. They did show a lot of fighting spirit in these fixtures, which is what they will need to get one over heavily fancied Toulon this Sunday.
They’ve been giving some of the big name teams a real run for their money this term and they are more than capable of keeping things tight against Toulon. While the hosts should win the fixture, I can’t see it being by much.
Benetton on the plus.
