The European Rugby season gets underway in just a few weeks time. Our rugby scribe gives his suggested outright treble below.
With Europe’s top domestic leagues about to start, it’s an ideal time to make a long-term investment. Our rugby scribe reckons he’s found two handy trebles for you to back this season.
Safe Option 23/1
Okay, so this one is a bit of a cop-out as I’ve backed all three favourites to win their respective leagues. But hey, at just over 23/1 there’s still plenty of value here.
Leinster to win the PRO14
So first on my tipping list is the reigning PRO14 and European Rugby Champions Cup holders, Leinster. The Irish side were a class apart last season dominating both the domestic front and Europe.
They have a very tight squad filled with world-class talent. And while they may have a tougher time of it this year with World Cup preparations, seeing a few of their internationals forced into rest periods, they are still more than capable of defending their PRO14 title.
Montpellier to win the French Top 14
Vern Cotter’s men were so close to securing the title last season, dominating the round robin phase only to go down to underdogs Castres in the final. Some hard lessons will have been learnt from that defeat, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Cotter’s men will be even more determined to claim that elusive title this time around.
Exeter to win the Aviva Premiership
The 2016/17 champions seem a very smart bet to claim the title this year as they won’t have to feed as many players to the English set-up as their title rivals, Saracens and Wasps. The men from Devonshire made it all the way to the final last year, going down to Saracens. And while we could get a repeat of that final come May, my money be on the Chiefs claiming the title rather than the reigning champs.
Big risk, big reward treble @15027/1
You only need to put a 5 Rand on this one and you’ll make an absolute killing if it comes in.
Cheetahs to win the PRO14
The Free State team gave a solid account of themselves in the debut season in the competition, advancing to the play-offs. They were an absolute handful at home, only losing two games. If they can sort their away form out, then they may pose a real threat this term.
Gloucester to win the Aviva Premiership
The Cherry and Whites may not have made the semi-finals last year but they have a very handy squad who produced some fantastic rugby at times. They have also added some quality players to their set-up with Johann Ackermann raiding his former club, the Lions.
Castres to win the French Top 14
It’s staggering to think that the reigning champions are trading at mammoth 25/1. They have a really gritty squad, who will be on an absolute high after winning last year’s championship.
