Heineken European Cup Betting - Week Two's Matches

By Wellsaint
October 18 2002

It's time to look at the second round of matches in the pool stage of this year's European Cup. Many of the games are harder to call this week; however there are a few outstanding bets as well.

HEINEKEN CUP WEEK TWO BETTING PREVIEW


A mixed bag of results last week; hopefully you made some money.

On to this week.

GAMES ON FRIDAY NIGHT:


VIADANA v GLOUCESTER

Gloucester are the form team in England at the moment and should see Viadana off comfortably. Difficult to accurately predict a margin; 28 points plus would be my guess, which is the handicap line with a number of bookies.


BOURGOIN v LLANELLI

Llanelli easily overcame Glasgow last weekend whilst Bourgoin won at Sale. Home advantage should tell here with Bourgoin running out 10 point winners and beating the handicap.


GLASGOW v SALE

Both lost last week; a tricky game to call; Glasgow narrowly by 4 points – most bookies have this as a level game although the Tote make Sale 6 point favs. (but don’t take singles, sadly.)

NEWPORT v TOULOUSE

Can’t see Newport winning their first game of the season here; Toulouse by twelve. The bookmakers have Toulouse as only 4 to 7 point favs. A good bet.


ULSTER v CARDIFF

The losers from last week in Saints group meet at Ravenhill. Ulster looked limited and Cardiff distinctly average is their games. Home advantage should see Ulster record a win by around nine points. Corals have Ulster as 4 point favs., but the price has been cut. Elsewhere the game is too close to the predicted 9 point margin.



GAMES ON SATURDAY:

PCP v CALVISANO

Another PCP win, 28 points or more I guess. Don’t want to talk about it. Tigs are favs between 34-48 points – at 48 points, I’d back the Italians.


BRISTOL v MONTFERRAND

Montferrand hammered Swansea whilst Bristol lost narrowly to Leinster last weekend; I feel Montferrand may edge this, if only by five points, which again is the handicap mark. [I did actually write most of this article before seeing the prices!]


SWANSEA v LEINSTER

Swansea look out of sorts this season and Leinster, whilst not hitting the heights of previous years, should prevail by nine points. Predictably, this is also the handicap line.


BEZIERS v NEATH

Neath held the PCP at home whilst Beziers won at Calvisano. Home advantage should enable Beziers to win by around twelve points. The handicap start for Neath is only 4-7 so Beziers should beat the line comfortably.


MUNSTER v PERPIGNAN

Munster were the latest team to feel the force at Kingsholm; provided they can pick themselves up from that they should see off Perpignan by around ten points. Perpignan receiving a fourteen or seventeen start (obtainable apparently) would be a speculative punt.


BEER WRITS v SAINTS

Saints go into this game minus John Leslie (on baby leave) and Steve Thompson (on yellow card leave.) Quite why yellow cards obtained in ZP matches affect HC games is one I’d love explaining. I want us to win – but – I’m just not sure at all, and I think Biarritz may unfortunately edge it by four points; most bookies rate Biarritz a little better, and Paddy Power has Saints +9 which could be worth a punt.


SUNDAY’S GAME


LONDON IRISH v EDINBURGH

I fancy Edinburgh to win this narrowly, by about five points. The fact the bookies have Irish as favourites is a unexpected bonus!


SUGGESTED BETS (FRI)

Ten point single Ulster –4

Ten point single Toulouse –4

Five point double Ulster –4 Toulouse –4

Three point treble Ulster –4 Toulouse –4 Glasgow level

All with Coral.

The best bets for the rest of the weekend are Beziers giving up a score or less to Neath, and Edinburgh as underdogs against London Irish. Most of the other games look tight. It’s another Friday night is money night weekend I feel.

Good luck with your bets this weekend, and

ALLEZ LES SAINTS!!!!