The draw for Round 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup has been favourable to defending champions Exeter Chiefs and to four-time winners Leinster. And those two teams, along with perennial bridesmaids Racing 92, are fancied to give punters a good run for their money.
Boyle Sports actually make the Parisians 7/2 favourites to put recent heartbreaks behind them but otherwise, it is the Chiefs and Leinster who are seen as the main contenders.
Exeter have been drawn at home to Lyon, our 50/1 choice at the start of the tournament, while Leinster are up against former winner Toulon, another of our long odds fancies. If they come through those ties, they will meet in what should be a seismic quarter-final.
So whilst it is impossible for both teams to make it through to the semi-finals, that enhances the chances of Racing, who we identified as good value at 6/1 before Europe’s premier competition got underway. Paddy Power quote them at 9/2 after they were paired with Edinburgh. Bristol Bears or Bordeaux-Begles lie in wait should they make it to the next stage of the competition.
In what looks certain to be one of the crunch ties of the round, Munster (20/1) will host Toulouse (6/1) at Thomond Park and Wasps (33/1) will be at home against ASM Clermont Auvergne (8/1) in another mouthwatering clash.
The biggest priced semi-finalist is likely to come out of Quarter-Final 3, where the winner of Gloucester (250/1)/La Rochelle (12/1) will play the winner of Scarlets (100/1) v Sale Sharks (80/1). Given Scarlets’ pedigree in Europe and the progress they are making under PRO14 Coach of the Month, Glenn Delaney, the west Walians look overpriced.
ROUND OF 16
(Weekend of 2/3/4 April – first-named clubs at home)
Munster Rugby v Toulouse
Gloucester Rugby v La Rochelle
Wasps v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Exeter Chiefs v Lyon
Leinster Rugby v RC Toulon
Bordeaux-Bègles v Bristol Bears
Racing 92 v Edinburgh Rugby
Scarlets v Sale Sharks
QUARTER-FINALS
(Weekend of 9/10/11 April – first-named winners at home)
QF1 Winner Exeter Chiefs/Lyon v Winner Leinster/RC Toulon
QF2 Winner Wasps/Clermont v Winner Munster/Toulouse
QF3 Winner Gloucester/La Rochelle v Winner Scarlets/Sale Sharks
QF4 Winner Bordeaux-Bègles/Bristol Bears v Winner Racing 92/Edinburgh
