European Champions Cup rugby Preview – 1.00 pm kick off
The pool stage of the European Champions Cup is getting down the business end now. Round five action occupies most of Saturday and in Pool 5 Newcastle’s qualification hopes are hanging by a thread. Can they bag themselves an away win in France to move up into second place? A bonus point wouldn’t go amiss too.
Montpellier v Newcastle odds*
Montpellier 1/12
Newcastle 13/2
Draw 33/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 9th, 2019 at 9:31 pm)
Montpellier v Newcastle Preview
Newcastle are third in the pool, sat on eight points. They are distant seven points away from leaders Edinburgh and three behind Montpellier. It really doesn’t look all that likely that the Falcons will be moving through to the next stage of the competition from here. But if they could somehow get five points out of this game and Edinburgh misfired against Toulon, there could be a chance.
Newcastle did win out in France in Round One as they edged Toulon by a single point in a thrilling 26-25 victory. They had Joel Hodgson to thank for firing five kicks over the game. Then when they hosted Montpellier in their second pool game they again ground out a narrow win, Hodgson firing over the winning points in the 89th minute.
But then Newcastle’s challenge fell away in back to back losses against the powerful Edinburgh side. Can they grind out a positive here? Newcastle+16 is a 10/11 odds option in the handicap market* (betting odds taken on January 9th, 2019 at 9:40 pm). While there were smashed by Edinburgh, they have been close against the French side.
Montpellier landed a home win over Edinburgh to kick off their campaign before suffering narrow (and back to back away defeats) against Newcastle and then Toulon. But they did respond back on home soil with a win over Toulon in the last round. So it has been a little hit and miss for them, but that home form could be the key factor in this one.
Montpellier v Newcastle Prediction
This pool has thrown up some really intense close games and we can see this going the same way. Realistically Newcastle aren’t going to get out of the group, but they can at least keep things interesting by throwing the kitchen sink at this one. Unfortunately, it is the home form of Montpellier that just tips it, but the Falcons could cover that +16 handicap at 10/11 odds option in the handicap market* (betting odds taken on January 9th, 2019 at 9:40 pm)
