Montpellier will be looking to guarantee themselves first-place on the Top 14 standings when they take on Pau on Saturday the 28th of April.
It’s a big weekend for Vern Cotter and his Montpellier chargers with the former Scotland Coach hoping to secure top spot on the Top 14 log a week prior to the regular season ending.
And while his side are heavy favourites to do just this, the wily Coach will know he can’t take anything for granted as he’s coming up against a Pau side desperate to qualify for the play-offs too.
Montpellier v Pau
Saturday 28 April
Altrad Stadium
20:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Montpellier 1/14
Draw 40/1
Pau 6/1
Montpellier
They may have bombed out of the European Rugby Champions Cup rather early but the 2017/18 season will still go down as a memorable one for Montpellier should they secure first place this weekend.
Whilst they’ll feel great about topping the league at the close of the regular season, the real coupe for Montpellier is that claiming first place would see them avoid the first round of play-off fixtures and host a semi-final. Needless to say, Cotter, will be pretty keen on his side bagging the points against Pau.
The hosts do come into this one off some patchy form, however, three of their last six games. They have been handy at home though and having yet to lose a domestic game at the Altrad Stadium this season.
Pau
It’s do or die time for Pau who currently occupy seventh spot on the Top 14 standings. A win this weekend would put them right in the mix for a play-off berth, whilst a loss could well end their hopes of advancing to the next round.
This weekend’s visitors will need to recover from last week’s emotional European Champions Cup semi-final defeat to the Cardiff Blues. The 16-10 defeat was Pau’s third straight loss with domestic defeats to Agen (22-33) and Bordeaux (19-18) preceding their European exit.
Verdict: Pau 6/1
I sense an upset is on the cards. Pau will be desperate to get the win and keep their hopes of qualifying for the knock-out phase of the league alive. It’s certainly not one to stake the rent on, but a small strike on Pau could reap a tidy dividend.
Written by Darry Worthington for @Hollywoodbets.net
