Glasgow Warriors and Toulon clash at the Aviva Stadium with both outfits looking to win their first ever Challenge Cup title.
Friday 19 May
Glasgow Warriors 43/20 | Draw 20/1 | Toulon 39/100
Handicap
Glasgow (+6.5) 9/10 | Toulon (-6.5) 9/10
Despite their hugely disappointing home quarterfinal defeat to Munster (a game in which they were reduced to 14 men after the sending off of flyhalf Tom Jordan in the 25th-minute), Warriors have enjoyed a memorable campaign under Franco Smith which has culminated in this their first ever European final.
The Glaswegians went on a fantastic 10-game unbeaten run (including nine wins) in all comps from December to February, which powered them up the URC ladder and finally enabled them to seal fourth spot – a marked improvement on their eighth-place finish last year.
Many were quick to dismiss skipper Kyle Steyn’s statements that their goal was to win the URC this season, and while they haven’t quite made good on that ambitious target, they still have the opportunity to finish with silverware in the Irish capital this weekend.
Still not over Sergio Parisse’s kick 😍
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) May 8, 2023
Can the Italian legend finish his career on a high, adding a #ChallengeCupRugby medal to his collection?
(And maybe a 6th World Cup call up too… 👀) pic.twitter.com/fgcLu0yfI7
Toulon have been far from spectacular on the domestic front, currently occupying eighth with a playoff berth seemingly out of reach, but have yet another shot at finally securing a maiden Challenge Cup triumph on Friday.
Interestingly, the southern French club have a three from three record in Champions Cup finals but have fallen in all four of their appearances in Challenge Cup title deciders, including last year’s defeat to Lyon.
A second-string Toulon side were on the receiving end of a big hiding at Racing 92 on the weekend, but the big guns will be back and raring to go here.
Glasgow have been superb this season, but they face a massive test in the form of a Toulon outfit which boasts such experienced leaders as Dan Biggar, Charles Ollivon and Sergio Parisse – the latter of whom is set to retire (yet again) in the coming weeks. It’s difficult looking past Franck Azéma’s men.
Glasgow on the plus.
