Exeter vs Lyon
2nd April 1500hrs
Rugby – England – Heineken Cup
Pick Exeter -13 handicap
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: 4/5 odds taken 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021
Reigning European champions Exeter will continue their title defence on home soil this weekend.
This is the round of sixteen action that we are looking at in the Heineken Cup rugby betting.
Will the Chiefs successfully defend home turf at Sandy Park, against a Lyon side who have already crushed one English opponent this season?
Table of Contents
Exeter Preview – Rested and ready
Exeter sent out an under-strength team last weekend to face Gloucester at Kingsholm in the Premiership.
They lost that game, but that resting of star players showed their intent ahead of this fixture.
In the match outright for rugby betting on this European Champions cup fixture, Exeter are 1/7 odds-on* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
They kicked off their defence with an emphatic 42-0 victory over Glasgow Warriors.
Then they lost their follow-up against Toulouse in the Pool stage, all teams playing just two fixtures there this season.
Exeter meet Lyon for the first time in European action and naturally, the Chiefs are back at full strength for this one.
There does appear to be far worse draws that they could have ended up with.
It is a seven-match winning streak at home from Exeter in European action and could set a new record with a victory on Saturday.
Exeter also have some winning form against French clubs.
It has been five straight victories for the Chiefs against French teams in the Champions Cup.
In their previous 15, they had managed just the five victories. So they have certainly come strongly in that area.
Exeter have lost five matches in the Premiership this season so they have been far from perfect.
Their recent loss against Gloucester saw the Chiefs miss out on making it four straight league wins.
But they are more than capable of delivering a comfortable win in this fixture.
So much so that in the rugby betting handicap market, an Exeter -13 option is where the even-money line is at* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
The stats stack up for them. They have won every single ruck contested this season in the Champions Cup.
Lyon Preview – Can Lyon shine on their debut?
This is the first time that Lyon are entering a knock-out fixture in the Champions Cup.
Entering this new ground, they are the 9/2 underdogs in the Heineken Cup rugby betting outright* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
Lyon OU had some degree of success in the pool stage to make it here.
It was a resounding victory that they took over Gloucester, while their second match against Glasgow was cancelled.
Lyon were awarded the victory of that game and topped Pool B.
In the current TOP 14 standings after 20 of 26 rounds, Lyon are in sixth place in the table.
They have just hit a nice streak of form, winning each of their last three games.
The first of those was an impressive one over league leaders Stade Toulousain.
The French side bring a good running game and they appear to enjoy keeping the game moving.
So this should be a good open contest at Sandy Park.
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Lyon have never won away from home in the Heineken Cup from six previous attempts.
In last season’s Pool stage they lost at Leinster, Northampton Saints and most troublingly, Italian side Benetton.
One positive stat for them that we can see so that they did win all line outs and all scrums on their own feed in their game against Gloucester.
But this is a much more difficult assignment.
It’s hard to imagine that they are going to have enough of the ball to do Exeter Chiefs too much damage on the night.
A Lyon +14 handicap is at 10/11 odds* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
Exeter vs Lyon Betting Advice
If Exeter Chiefs don’t walk away with a victory in this contest, it will be a seismic upset.
Do we see it happening? No. Once again they have been willing to sacrifice domestic matches for European ones.
An Exeter -12 handicap at 4/5 is the pick for us in rugby betting* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
Key Facts – Exeter vs Lyon Betting Tip
- Exeter have won their last five fixtures against French teams
- Exeter have won their last seven home games the Champions Cup
- Lyon are in their first ever Heineken Cup knockout-stage match
Lyon OU do look like a good open side but are likely going to fall short.
They have yet to claim an away victory in this competition and it doesn’t look likely to happen at Sandy Park.
Lyon may well have thumped Gloucester in the Pool stage. But this is a totally different kettle of fish against the reigning champions.
Exeter 11-20 winning margin is our other rugby betting pick at 9/4* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
The best betting odds for Exeter vs Lyon
Exeter to win: 1/7 at Bet365
Draw: 33/1 at Bet365
Lyon to win: 9/2 at Bet365
