Toulouse are four from four in the Top 14 and will look to pull further clear when they face Biarritz. Elsewhere, Clermont and Racing face off while Stade Francais will look to move off the foot of the table when they travel to Brive.
Brive v Stade Francais
Saturday 2 October
Stade Amendée-Domench
15:00
To Win Match
Brive 38/100
Draw 21/1
Stade 9/4
We kick things off at the Stade Amedee-Domenech where fifth-placed Brive will take on last-placed Stade Francais.
The visitors managed to claim their first win of the campaign and they did it in some style as they beat Castres 34-10. This will have been a much-welcomed result for the Parisians who had been woeful up until last weekend.
Conversely, Brive suffered their second defeat of the campaign going down 29-10 to Bordeaux. This was their second defeat on the road, with the league’s fifth-placed side also going down away to Montpellier. They have been solid at home, however, beating both Perpignan and Pau by comfortable margins at the Stade Amedee-Domenech.
Verdict: Brive 38/100
They are a completely different beast at home and can see Brive making it three wins from three starts in front of their own fans.
Lyon v Bordeaux Begles
Saturday 2 October
Stade Gerland
15:00
To Win Match
Lyon 42/100
Draw 20/1
Bordeaux 2/1
Our next fixture could be something of a classic with both Lyon and Bordeaux playing some free-flowing rugby.
The hosts were involved in a titanic struggle in Paris against Racing last week and narrowly went down 24-20 in a game that could really have gone either way.
Bordeaux enjoyed a far more fruitful round 4 as they claimed an impressive 29-10 win over Brive. This was only the Begles second win of the campaign with their other victory seeing them beat Stade 37-20. They also managed a draw against Castres with their sole defeat being an opening round shock at the hands of newly-promoted Biarritz.
Lyon are level on points with Bordeaux on the Top 14 ladder despite losing two of their four games. They have been free-flowing though, and have managed to pick up a bonus point from all but one of their fixtures.
Verdict: Lyon 42/100
I’m expecting a very open game here so the over points markets on the Live In-Play stuff will be my main focus. I will also be having a strike on Le Wolves to claim the spoils.
Perpignan v Pau
Saturday 2 October
Stade Aime Giral
15:00
To Win Match
Perpignan 53/100
Draw 19/1
Pau 33/20
Perpignan need to be winning games like this at home if you don’t want to get dragged into a season-long slog against relegation.
The newly-promoted side have fared decently enough so far claiming wins over Biarritz and Toulon – they ground out a 9-12 win over the big spenders last weekend – while going down to Brive and Lyon.
Pau have an identical record to their hosts as they have claimed wins over Lyon and Montpellier while going down to Brive and Castres. They have managed to keep things tight in all of their games with their two defeats being by rather narrow margins.
Verdict: Perpignan 53/100
They seem to be a force to be reckoned with at home, hence I will be backing Perpignan here.
Montpellier v La Rochelle
Saturday 2 October
GGL Stadium
15:00
To Win Match
Montpellier 99/100
Draw 22/1
La Rochelle 88/100
There’s a big clash next up with Montpellier taking on La Rochelle. Both sides have endured rather tough starts to the campaign with Montpellier winning two of their four fixtures and La Rochelle winning just one.
La Rcohelle have been fighting against a horrid draw that has seen them suffer defeat at the hands of reigning champions Toulouse as well as fellow big guns Racing and Clermont. They finally came good last weekend, hammering Biarritz 59-17.
Verdict: La Rochelle 88/100
They bounced back in style last weekend and I’m expecting another big showing from La Rochelle here.
Biarritz v Toulouse
Saturday 2 October
Parc des Sports d’Aguiléra
17:00
To Win Match
Biarritz 11/4
Draw 22/1
Toulouse 3/10
We have a David versus Goliath clash next up with reigning Top 14 champions and log-leaders Toulouse taking on new boys Biarritz.
The hosts were brought crashing down to Earth last weekend as after a fast start to the campaign that saw them win two of their opening three games, they were absolutely hammered by La Rochelle.
Toulouse, on the other hand, kept their unbeaten record intact as they edged a Montpellier outfit that is on the up-and-up 15-17 at the GGL Stadium.
Verdict: Toulouse 3/10
Biarritz have been strong at home thus far but I simply cannot see them keeping pace with Toulouse.
Castres v Toulon
Saturday 2 October
Stade Pierre Fabre
21:05
To Win Match
Castres 17/100
Draw 25/1
Toulon 42/10
The penultimate game of the round sees Castres play host to Toulon. The hosts currently occupy sixth place on the Top 14 ladder, while Toulon are four places off them back in tenth spot.
Both teams had weekends to forget last time out with Toulon going down by three points to new boys Perpignan, while Castres were hammered 34-10 by a struggling Stade Francais outfit who were yet to win a game up until that point.
Verdict: Castres 17/100
Toulon struggle away from home and I simply can’t see that changing. As such, I’m all over the hosts here.
Clermont v Racing 92
Sunday 3 October
Parc des Sports Marcel Michellin
21:05
To Win (80 Mins)
Clermont 46/100
Draw 20/1
Racing 19/10
The best has been saved for last yet again, with Top 14 heavyweights Clermont and Racing clashing in the final fixture of the weekend.
The two sides have experienced contrasting fortunes during the early salvos of the season with Racing currently sitting second on the ladder having registered three wins from four games and Clermont way down in 13th with only one win from their four.
In terms of last weekend’s results, Clermont gave a decent account of themselves but ultimately went down 27-15 to Toulouse while Racing beat Lyon 24-20 in a very tight run affair.
Verdict: Clermont 46/100
They’re on home soil and can see them bagging the win here.
