Harlequins vs Castres
21st January 2022 – Kick Off 2000hrs
Rugby – England – Heineken Cup
Pick Castres +13 handicap
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: 10/11 odds taken 18:42 GMT on January 20th 2022
Reigning Premiership champions Harlequins have already booked a spot through to the next round of the competition.
Three wins from three has put them in with a chance of top spot in the Pool.
Castres have work to do if they are to join Quins in the next round, as they need a win at The Stoop.
Table of Contents
Harlequins Preview – Quins seek top spot
With three wins from three under their belt, Quins are safely through the Pool stage qualification.
They have a chance at the top spot, but they also have a chance to take their foot off the gas.
Last weekend they claimed a narrow three-point margin win at Cardiff Blues.
That saw Quins continue in some great recent form in all competitions.
It’s been a five-match winning sequence from Harlequins.
They go into Friday’s match at The Stoop as the 1/9 odds-on favourites* (odds recorded 18:42 GMT on January 20th 2022 at Betfair).
A bonus-point victory for Quins on Friday night would likely see them top their pool.
The Premiership side are on a three-match winning streak against Castres too in the European Champions Cup.
When they made the trip to face the French side in mid-December, Harlequins banked a gritty 20-18 road success.
In their last three wins over Castres, Harlequins have conceded fewer than 20 points on each occasion.
This has definitely been a big shift in the head to head, as Castres had been on a four-match winning streak against Quins.
With Harlequins having won their three matches in this season’s tournament, it’s their best of form in the competition since scoring four, a run which ended in the 2014/15 season.
A Harlequins -13 handicap is at a quote of 10/11 for Friday’s game* (odds recorded 18:42 GMT on January 20th 2022 at Betfair).
But only in three of their last eight matches in all tournaments have Quins managed to score more than 20 points in a match.
Castres Preview – Can Top14 side raid The Stoop?
Of the two teams, it is Castres who really need the points from a victory in the match.
They start the final round of Pool stage action outside of the qualification places.
But they go into the match as 11/2 underdogs* (odds recorded 18:42 GMT on January 20th 2022 at Betfair).
So the bookies believe that the Top14 side are going to be heavy underdogs.
That’s understandable with three losses from three.
Castres opened with that home loss against Quins, before falling short on a visit to Munster.
In last weekend’s hosting of the Irish side, Castres lost again, only by a narrow 3-point margin.
All three of Castres’ fixtures in this season’s Heineken Cup have been settled by a margin of no more than six points.
So a wide handicap line doesn’t necessarily look to be the way to go for this match.
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Castres are currently on their worst run of Heineken Cup form since losing ten in a row, a sequence that ended in the 2016/17 season.
With only an average of 61 passes per European Champions Cup game this season, that is less than the average amount that Quins have made so far.
While Castres have put together a four-match winning streak in the Top14, overall they look a little short of quality.
It’s a W4 L5 record from Castres in their last nine in all competitions.
Away from home, they are W1 L6 in their last seven across all tournaments.
Harlequins vs Castres Betting Advice
Quins can finish the Pool stage campaign of this season’s Heineken Cup with a win at The Stoop.
There’s no value in them doing so in the rugby betting match outright.
So a Castres +13 handicap at 10/11 is going to be our pick* (odds recorded 18:42 GMT on January 20th 2022 at Betfair).
Key Facts – Harlequins vs Castres Betting Tip
- Harlequins have won their last three against Castres
- Harlequins’ Marcus Smith is the top-scorer in this season’s tournament
- Castres have lost their last three matches in the competition
Castres have lost all three matches this season in the competition but by no more than six points.
Harlequins don’t necessarily need to go hard at this game, having secured qualification.
A Harlequins 1-10 winning margin is going to be the other selection for the day at 12/5* (odds recorded 18:42 GMT on January 20th 2022 at Betfair).
The best betting odds for Harlequins vs Castres
Harlequins to win: 1/9 at Bet365
Draw: 33/1 at Bet365
Castres to win: 11/2 at Bet365
