Gloucester vs La Rochelle
2nd April 2000hrs
Rugby – England – Heineken Cup
Pick Gloucester +5 handicap
Bookmaker William Hill
Odds: Even money odds taken 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021
Heineken Cup Rugby betting resumes on Friday night.
Gloucester have been having a very tough time of things this season in the Premiership.
Will they find some cheer in the Heineken Cup on Friday?
They have a tough task on their hands at Kingsholm as they face La Rochelle in the round of sixteen.
Gloucester have already faced French opposition in this season’s tournament and in that they were torn to shreds by Lyon.
Can they deliver at home on Friday?
Table of Contents
Gloucester Preview – Can Gloucester dig deep?
Gloucester are struggling to avoid the wooden spoon in the Premiership. So maybe away from those struggles they play without a bit of pressure.
It’s the round of sixteen in the Heineken Cup on Friday night for them as they face La Rochelle.
In Heineken Cup rugby betting, Gloucester are 15/8 underdogs for this home fixture* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
To their credit they have won three of their last five fixtures, all Premiership games.
The most recent was last weekend when they pulled out a 34-18 home win over reigning champions Exeter.
Exeter weren’t at full strength for that game, resting a lot of players ahead of their European Champions Cup action this weekend.
In this season’s pool stage, there was a very strange set up as teams only played two matches each.
Gloucester were hammered by Lyon 55-10 in their first pool stage match.
In their second pool stage match though, the Cheery & Whites produced arguably their performance of the season to beat Ulster by four-points in a high-scoring game.
That saw Gloucester qualify for the round of sixteen as the lowest ranked team of the eight qualifiers from Pool B.
So this does look like being a tough game for Gloucester as they seek a place in the quarter finals.
But there is some head to head form, as Gloucester have taken a W7 L2 record from their seven previous encounters with La Rochelle.
At Kingsholm, the Cherry & Whites are W3 L1 against the French side.
Also Gloucester are currently on a three match winning streak at home in the Champions Cup.
Their record streak is five in a row between 2006 and 2008.
This will be the first meeting between the two clubs in the Heineken Champions Cup.
In Heineken Cup rugby betting, a Gloucester + 5 handicap is at even money* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
La Rochelle Preview – What’s to come from the visitors?
French club La Rochelle only played one of their two matches in the pool stage of this season’s European Champions Cup.
They took a 13-8 win over Edinburgh in that fixture. Their other fixture was cancelled for which they were awarded a win.
In the match outright for rugby betting, there is a quote of 4/9 on the away win for La Rochelle* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
They have visited Premiership clubs four times in the Heineken Cup before.
The first of those was at Harlequins which they won.
But La Rochelle have lost their last three visits to England.
La Rochelle are currently second in the Top 14 as the season is almost at a close there.
They won their last domestic fixture which was against Bordeaux.
That is their only win in their last three and interestingly they have taken a W3 L3 record in their last six.
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La Rochelle have won five of their 10 away fixtures in the French top flight this season.
In last season’s European Champions Cup, La Rochelle failed to get out of the Pool stage, winning two of four matches there.
It is interesting now that they are facing a Gloucester side who are in a slightly better place than they were when they were heavily beaten by Lyon in the Pool stage.
We do think this one is going to be tight at Kingsholm and the La Rochelle -5 handicap option is at 10/11* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
Gloucester vs La Rochelle Betting Advice
The Cherry & Whites have a chance in this one we think.
They have just started to find something by playing a quicker game.
They have been looking for their wide dangermen more recently.
The Cherry & Whites are still a long way from looking a threat in this competition.
But a Gloucester + 5 handicap looks the way to go for us in rugby betting at evens* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
Key Facts – Gloucester vs La Rochelle Betting Tip
- Gloucester have won 3 of 4 home games against La Rochelle
- Gloucester are W7 L2 overall in the head to head with La Rochelle
- La Rochelle have lost their last three visits to England /li>
La Rochelle have been a little bit hit and miss with their recent form and we can look back to their away game in the Pool stage.
That was a thriller in Edinburgh as they ground out a result in a low-scoring fixture in the Scottish capital.
The Cherry & Whites have the head-to-head form, even though their overall home form against French opposition is pretty terrible.
Maybe they can squeak one out against La Rochelle. A Gloucester 1-7 winning margin is at 7/2* (odds recorded 21:03 GMT on April 1st, 2021).
The best betting odds for Gloucester vs La Rochelle
Gloucester to win: 15/8 at Bet365
Draw: 20/1 at Bet365
La Rochelle to win: 4/9 at Bet365
