European Champions Cup Predictions – Round 1

Club rugby’s crème de la crème set out for glory in the opening round of the European Champions Cup this weekend, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The best of the best from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and South Africa will vie for the silverware in the 30th edition of the ultimate club rugby competition in the world.

The competition has a multi-pool format featuring 24 elite clubs – eight each from the Gallagher Premiership, United Rugby Championship and TOP 14 – in four pools of six with each club playing against four different opponents home or away in the pool stage.

The Sharks, Stormers and Bulls will fly the South African flag and will all be in action on Saturday. The Durbanites will host the Exeter Chiefs at Kings Park, the Capetonians will tackle Toulon in Gqeberha and the men from Pretoria meet Saracens in North London.

The competition will be played over eight weekends with four pool stage rounds and four knockout stage rounds culminating in the 2025 final, which will be staged at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, 25 May.

Bath v La Rochelle

Friday, 6 December – 22:00

We’ll get a sense of how strong the English challenge will be right out of the gate as Premiership pacesetters Bath host La Rochelle. Johann van Graan is doing a brilliant job at Bath, with the club leading the Premiership with six wins out of seven games.

Things aren’t as rosy for Ronan O’Gara’s side, who after winning back-to-back European Champions Cup titles were knocked out in the quarterfinals last season and find themselves sixth in the TOP 14. That said, I have a feeling the French giants will be too strong for their hosts to handle.   

Clermont v Benetton

Saturday, 7 December – 15:00

Having reached the final in the 2013, 2015 and 2017 editions of the competition, Clermont will be looking to replicate the form that took them almost all the way this season.

Sitting third in the TOP 14, they are firing on all cylinders and coming off a 54-10 thrashing of Castres. Bank on them to batter the struggling Italians, who’ve won just two of their URC games and are coming off a 17-point hiding in Edinburgh.

Sharks v Exeter Chiefs

Saturday, 7 December – 15:00

Back in the big league after clinching the European Challenge Cup, the Sharks have the Springbok-laden squad to make serious noise.

They learned a valuable lesson in the URC last weekend, that dominance doesn’t mean a whole lot if it‘s not converted into points. Yes, they led the Stormers 21-8 on the hour-mark, but they should’ve been further in front.

Winning by the skin of their teeth (21-15), it was a timely warning that they need to be clinical and switched on for the full 80 minutes to avoid disappointment.

Exeter have a decent squad and an injection of exciting young talent like Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Dafydd Jenkins but have been nowhere in the Premiership, propping up the table without a win after seven games.

Thus, the Sharks should get off to strong start.

Northampton Saints v Castres

Saturday, 7 December – 17:15

The reigning Premiership champions have struggled to replace stalwarts in their pack, including Courtney Lawes, this season, and are eighth in the 10-team tournament as a result.

They made it all the way to the European Champions Cup semi-finals last season, and while they’re unlikely to make it that far this time around, they should ease to victory over their French visitors.

Toulouse v Cardiff

Saturday, 9 December – 17:15

In the first mismatch of the competition, Toulouse (third outright at 5.00) are primed to cruise past Cardiff (joint-last outright at 251.00). The hosts are considered strong title contenders whereas the visitors will struggle to get a win, so bank on an emphatic victory for Toulouse.

Stormers v Toulon

Saturday, 7 December – 17:15

The Stormers are struggling to click in the URC this season, and yet they showed against a star-studded Sharks side last weekend that they’re one or two plays away from victory even when things aren’t gelling.

Starting well will be a priority after a string of penalties contributed to them trailing 14-0 in the opening quarter. They’ll also focus on finishing opportunities after butchering two tries in Durban and would’ve taken heart from how they stayed in the fight and oh so nearly snatched a win.

They need a plan at the breakdown, though, if they want to improve on last season’s Round of 16 exit as they’re being blown away there.

French giants Toulon are three-time European Champions Cup winners and eager to return to their former heights after failing to progress past the pool stage last season.

Fourth in the TOP 14 with a 7-4 record and with stars like Kyle Sinclair, Charles Ollivon and Dan Biggar in their ranks, they’ll be a formidable challenge for the Stormers.

However, French teams generally don’t tour well, and with this being a crucial game in determining how much focus the Capetonians will put into the campaign, they should come out victorious.   

Munster v Stade Francais

Saturday, 7 December – 19:30

Munster’s 17-10 victory over an in-form Lions side last weekend was a timely morale-boosting win given the turmoil in the Irish club following coach Graham Rowntree’s shock exit. It’s a triumph they’ll build on this weekend as Stade Francais simply aren’t the same team on the road as they are at home.

Saracens v Bulls

Saturday, 7 December – 19:30

The Bulls’ 28-14 away victory over Connacht last weekend was their fifth win from six games in the URC, so Jake White’s men are in good nick heading into their tough European Champions Cup opener.

The Pretoria side have power and pace in equal measure and the type of grit that allows them to dig themselves out of a hole when needed. They have a good balance between seasoned cool heads, current Springboks and hungry young talent, which gives them a shot against the three-time champions.

Saracens, who have the likes of Maro Itoje, Jamie George, Ben Earl and former Bulls scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl on their books, are fourth in the Premiership with four wins from seven matches and should have enough in their arsenal to hold off the visitors.

Glasgow Warriors v Sale Sharks

Saturday, 7 December – 22:00

Reigning URC champions Glasgow are doing the business so far in their title defense, sitting second with five wins out of seven. Franco Smith has turned the Scottish club into a champion team with aplomb and will be eyeing a place in the playoffs.

Sale have a settled squad and snapped a two-match losing skid with a 39-25 win over the Leicester Tigers last weekend. Sixth in the Premiership, they have a bit of everything from English internationals to South African beef and Fijian flair, but it won’t help them topple the well-coached Warriors.

Racing 92 v Harlequins

Saturday, 7 December – 22:00

Despite the presence of new stars such as Owen Farrell, Racing 92 have struggled to find the desired form so far in the TOP 14. The Parisian outfit are eighth with a 5-6 record, however, with their successful history in the European Champions Cup as three-time finalists, they can’t be written off.

Harlequins dazzled en route to the semi-finals last season, where they lost 38-26 to eventual winners Toulouse. With Marcus Smith pulling the strings, they’re one of the most dangerous attacking sides around, but they don’t always play their part defensively and are seventh in the Premiership with a 3-4 record.

Quins toured particularly well last season, claiming notable wins over Racing 92 and Bordeaux, but on current form, I have to side with the hosts.  

Bordeaux-Begles v Leicester Tigers

Sunday, 8 December – 15:00

Bordeaux have been brilliant in the TOP 14 and a second only to Toulouse. They can win handsomely, or ugly, like they showed when they ground out a 9-6 win over Montpellier last weekend.

Leicester are third in the Premiership but suffered a 14-point loss to the Sale Sharks last weekend. The East Midlands outfit have one of the game’s great generals in Handre Pollard, so they’ll put up a good fight, but Bordeaux should bank the win at home.

Toulouse v Ulster

Sunday, 8 December – 17:15

Defending champions and record six-time winners Toulouse start their title defense against Irish invaders. The French super side are the title favourites and with good reason as they are loaded with superstars and have incredible depth.

Table-toppers in the TOP 14, where they’re also the defending champions, they should make relatively light work of a struggling Ulster team down in 10th place in the URC.

Bristol Bears v Leinster

Sunday, 8 December – 19:30

The Bears will be using their wooden spoon position in the pool stage of last season’s tournament as motivation to hit the ground running this season. Sitting second in the Premiership, they’re high on confidence and fresh off a 48-24 away win over Harlequins.

Leinster have no issues marching into the playoffs. However, as runners-up for the last three years, they’re frothing to finally seal the deal this season. This is just the type of tough first assignment away from home for the Irish giants to lay down a marker and I expect the undefeated URC log leaders to do just that.