The European Champions Cup is the leading competition for clubs whose countries’ national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship. Clubs qualify via their final positions in their respective national leagues (Gallagher Premiership, TOP 14, and Guinness Pro14) or through winning the second-tier Challenge Cup.
Introduced in 2014, the Champions Cup replaced the Heineken Cup, which had run since 1995.
Defending champions Leinster began this season’s campaign with a resounding 52-3 victory over Wasps at the RDS and they are only a best 6/4 with Betway and look the team to beat again this season. Leo Cullen’s men are bidding for a record fifth European club title and it’s difficult to find a weakness in the make-up of the squad. However, this definitely isn’t a one-horse race. It looks like last year’s losing finalists Racing 92 will again be France’s best hope of recapturing the crown.
Racing 92 (10/1 with Boylesports) were, of course, also beaten finalists in 2016. If they are not going to find themselves bracketed alongside compatriots Clermont-Ferrand as perennial bridesmaids, they need to take the final step. Simon Zebo, Donnacha Ryan and Finn Russell are all class players and they, too, started their campaign with a win against last year’s semi-finalists the Scarlets in Llanelli, no mean feat in itself.
English champions Saracens will also have one eye on Europe’s biggest prize again this season. Last year was a disappointing but they did win the European Champions Cup in the two preceding years. However, they have been left counting the bruises after a brutal opening win against much-improved Glasgow at the Scotstoun Stadium.
Mark McCall will have to ring the changes for the second game against Lyon after injuries to several key players. The London side would not have been expecting such an early examination of their squad strength but they are a match for anyone if they can put out their first XV and are only a best 10/3 with Boylesports to win the tournament as a whole, the final of which will be played at St James’ Park next May.
Montpellier, now coached by former Scotland supremo Vern Cotter, are out to 11/1 with Ladbrokes after struggling to a fortunate home win against Edinburgh in their opening Pool match while Munster can now be backed at 12/1 with the same firm having been held to an opening draw by Exeter. The Chiefs are a best 14/1 but Pool 2 is very much the ‘Group Of Death’ as far as this season’s European Champions Cup is concerned and you can’t believe that the team, or teams, that survive the experience may be weaker for it.
European Champions Cup Current Best Odds
Leinster 6/4
Saracens 7/2
Racing 92 10/1
Montpellier 11/1
Mubster 12/1
Exeter 14/1
Scarlets 40/1
Toulouse 50/1
Toulon 66/1
Glasgow 80/1
Gloucester 100/1
Wasps 100/1
Castres 150/1
Edinburgh 250/1
Cardiff 250/1
Ulster 250/1
Newcastle 250/1
Lyon 500/1
Bath 500/1
(Odds Correct at 11.00am October 15)
