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PREVIEW: Scramble for play-off places continues in Champions Cup

The business end of the Heineken Cup pool stage is here and there’s bound to be loads of drama as a plethora of the world’s best clubs battle it out for a spot in the knock-outs.

Manie Libbok of the Stormers - Champions Cup
Image Copyright - Steve Haag Sports

The business end of the Heineken Cup pool stage is here and there’s bound to be loads of drama as a plethora of the world’s best clubs battle it out for a spot in the knock-outs.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

There are some cracking games in store this weekend with the headline affair seeing Sale play host to French heavyweights Toulouse.

Elsewhere, all three South African sides will be looking to advance their play-off chances with the Sharks eyeing a win in their return leg against Bordeaux, the Stormers looking to bounce back from a disappointing URC showing by getting a win over London Irish and the Bulls looking for revenge as they take on an Exeter Chiefs side that dismantled them when they met at Sandy Park.

Saturday 14 January 

Sale 7/4 | Draw 20/1 | Toulouse 49/100

Handicap
Sale (+4.5) 17/20 | Toulouse (-4.5) 17/20

This should be an absolute cracker of a fixture with both sides enjoying stellar domestic campaigns this term. Toulouse were by far the better side when these two met in the first leg with the French outfit running out 45-19 victors at the Stade Ernest-Wallon. Sale are unlikely to put in a similarly limp performance, however, as they need to bag a win here in order to remain in the hunt for a play-off place.

The visitors currently find themselves in second spot on the Pool B standings having beaten Munster 13-18 before their home dismantling of Sale. They come into this one off the back of a disappointing domestic showing as they went down 30-7 to La Rochelle this past weekend.

While Sale did suffer that heavy defeat to this weekend’s opponents in Round 2, they do sit pretty on Pool B in fourth courtesy of an impressive 39-0 bonus point victory over Irish outfit Ulster. They also head into this fixture off the back of a solid 16-24 domestic win over Harlequins.

I’m backing the Sharks to get the job done at home. They have turned the AJ Bell into a fortress this term and I reckon they once again shine in front of their home fans.

Sharks 1/10 | Draw 30/1 | Bordeaux 6/1

Handicap
Sharks (-15.5) 17/20 | Bordeaux (+15.5) 17/20

We head to South Africa for our next fixture which pits the Sharks up against French outfit, Bordeaux. The hosts are enjoying a solid debut Heineken Cup season and currently lie fourth on the Pool A standings with two wins from two.

Bordeaux are five places behind the Durban side and really need a win here to keep their hopes of Heineken Cup play-off rugby alive. They have yet to win a game this term going down 22-17 away to Gloucester in Round 1 and then 16-19 at home to this weekend’s opponents in Round 2. With such slim hopes of advancing, they’re likely to send over a decidedly second-string side to South Africa.

The Sharks followed up their victory over Bordeaux with an eye-catching 39-31 win over Harlequins. They have also been in good form on the domestic front beating the Lions and Bulls before their second-stringers went down 24-12 away to Connacht this past weekend.

The hosts kept their keg dry last weekend sending a weakened side over to Ireland to ensure they had their big guns available for ths one. I reckon that tactic will reap dividends and I can see them getting a big win here against the French outfit’s fringe players.

Bulls 49/100 | Draw 20/1 | Exeter 7/4

Handicap

Bulls (-4.5) 17/20 | Exeter (+4.5) 17/20

The Bulls will be looking to dish out a spot of revenge when they take on an Exeter side that beat them 44-14 when the sides last met at Sandy Park.

The Bulls, while still sitting in a rather promising log position of seventh, really need to bag a win here or they will likely miss out on the play-offs. They’ve struggled for form of late, losing three of their last five games, so they really need to be on the ball this Saturday.

Unlike the Bulls, the Chiefs have found a bit of form, winning four of their last five fixtures. They currently lie second on the Pool A standings but only by virtue of points differential. They head into this one off the back of a very tidy 35-13 Gallagher Premiership win over the Northampton Saints.

Exeter may be the form team but the Bulls tend to produce the goods at Loftus. I reckon we’ll see a return to winning ways for Jake White’s men this Saturday.

Sunday 15 January 

London Irish 23/20 | Draw 20/1 | Stormers 74/100

Handicap

London Irish (+2.5) 17/20 | Stormers (-2.5) 17/20

The final Round 3 game we will run the rule over is the clash between London Irish and the Stormers. The visitors are far better primed to claim a play-off berth as they currently lie fifth on the Pool B standings with one win from two outings.

London Irish find themselves in a far dire situation having only managed to claim one pool point from their first two fixtures. They need to claim a win here if they are to have any chance of making it through to the Heineken Cup Knock-out phase.

When the two sides met back in December, the Stormers had little trouble seeing off their opponents as they ran out 34-14 victors at the Cape Town Stadium. They weren’t as impressive in Round 1 of the comp where they went down 24-14 to Top 14 outfit Clermont, despite racing into an early lead.

Irish’s other defeat came at the hands of Montpellier, whom they were desperately unlucky to lose 27-32 against.

I reckon the Stormers will take this one at a canter. They have by far the better side and they also have home ground advantage in their favour.

Quick-Fire Tips

Clermont to beat Leicester at 43/100
Leinster to clear handicap against Gloucester at (-15.5) 17/20
Munster to clear handicap against Northampton (-20.5) 17/20
La Rochelle to beat Ulster at 1/14
Ospreys to beat Montpellier at 12/10
Saracens to beat Lyon at 1/20
Castres to beat Edinburgh at 84/100
Racing 92 to beat Harlequins at 1/5

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