Heineken Cup Betting Preview Pool Stage Rd 4

By Wellsaint
December 8 2004

Highlights of this weekend's games include the Leicester v Wasps rematch at Welford Road but the highlight, surely, must be the game at the Stade Ernest Wallon at 16H00 temps locale as the Black Green and Gold visit Toulouse for a welcome return trip.

Heineken Cup Pool Matches Round 4

...cinq euro gagner chevaux numbero trois, deuxieme course, a autueil....

Sorry, just practicing those essential French phrases. A reverse of last week's fixtures in all cases. Very brief comments due to early deadline (I'm going away this weekend, y'see - and to get me in the mood, I'm going to Huntingdon races tomorrow. Where I shall mostly be placing my wagers en anglais...)

Fri night

Bourgoin v Leinster

It appears that this is not Bourgoin's main target this year, and I take Leinster to win this by at least 15 points, maybe a good deal more.

Saturday's games

Ulster v Stade Francais

Ulster are difficult to beat at Ravenhill but come up against a Stade side still to taste defeat. That said, Stade have been beaten in Ulster before and may be again. A very risky call this - Ulster by three.

Bath v Treviso

If you predicted the outcome of this one last week, well done! Bath have something of an injury crisis and therefore can't be a confident call to win this. Win this they must however to have any chance of progressing, and I feel that they will, by eight points.

Calvisano v Biarritz

Biarritz should win this game, although Calvisano tend to pile on the points at home, so I forecast the winning margin as 10 points.

Cardiff v Gloucester

A real cracker of a game last week, if error strewn: Gloucester's injury list means that this could end up being a remake of M*A*S*H. With that in mind, another possibly risky call - Cardiff by three.

Harlequins v Ospreys

Yep, I got it very wrong last week, but I stick with Quins, and an 8 point margin.

Toulouse v Saints

Possibly the best game I've seen in the last five years last week in the circumstances - and wouldn't a repeat be nice? (I've packed the E1-11 just in case!) Last time we played in Toulouse (at the footy ground) we lost by 16. I think we can better that, but I would be very, very surprised if we won. Obviously at this stage we don't know the situation regarding the scrum and whether we will have cover in the front row (or indeed if we will have a front row.) This doesn't make predictions any easier. I take Toulouse to win by ten.

Munster v Castres

Munster should be too strong for Castres at home but the margin could be tight. Munster by six.

Edinburgh v Newcastle

A tight game for most of the match last week and I forecast the same this week but a different result - another speculative punt - Edinburgh by three.

Perpignan v Dragons

Another one I got very wrong last week but Perpignan have to win this to stand any chance of progressing and I think they will prevail by twelve.

Llanelli v Glasgow

Llanelli edged a tight game in Glasgow and should be able to win the return leg relatively easily, keeping their interest alive into the new year. Llanelli by ten.

Leicester v Wasps

A little bit of a surprise last week when Leicester won. I can't see Wasps reversing the result this week, and I take Leicester to win by seven.

Apologies for the brevity, but with 12 matches to preview, and things to do before Friday (would help if I could ever get my modem fixed at home!) I haven't much spare time this week.

See you in the Frog and Rosbif vendredi soir...

What's that? Eh? OK, I guess...

Pro 2 Dimanche 15H00 a Stade Municipal, Albi:

Albi v Montaban

A local derby this, with Albi on a five game losing streak and Montaban currently
second in Pro2. As the song goes "let's root, root for the home team" - all right -
I know it's a different sport! With the Black Green and Gold in attendance, how can
they fail? Albi by four. And if you can find a bookie to take a bet.. (note, don't
try the PMU - strictly horse racing. And trotting, which I personally hate...)