HEC and Challenge Cup Bets

Castres v Treviso

Who said it was going to be easy? In all honesty Castres should cover this cap, they are sending out a decent team to face the game Italians and will be buoyed by their close defeat at the hands of Wasps last weekend. It has to be noted that Treviso beat Castres home and away four years ago but the French team had surrendered any hope of qualification by then.

What encourages me is the fact that Castre’s coach is making noises about wanting to qualify from the group to make up for a very poor start to the domestic competition, with 5 points from every game being the target – what also encourages me further is that Chang-a-lang is officiating and it has to be said that he is a homer and when it boils down to it and could devastate the Italians at the breakdown. I also had it confirmed from a French friend that the team to face Calvisano is of equal quality to the side they put out against the Wasps so no surrender monkeys

Recommendation - Castres -18 at Bet365 or Coral

Bristol v Dragons

I really really like this -6 on Bristol. Bristol are putting out a rested 1st XV and if the press I've been reading all week is anything to go by then they are also pretty well up for it. Whilst we won't be to much of a pushover we are missing Jamie Ringer and Rhys Thomas in the forwards, both of these would have been in the Wales Squad if it wasn't for the injuries they sustained in the battle against Northampton. We also have Ceri Sweeney who is kicking like a machine at the moment but I really do feel that Bristol are the stronger team tonight and -6 points is just a gift. Also the Bristol coach was at The Dragons for a year during the reign of Anderson (spit!!! - no offence leaguies) and would love to get one over on us, add to that the strong Welsh contingent at Bristol who feel they are being underated and not really looked upon as contenders for a Welsh squad place, well...you've got a lot of motivated people playing the Dragons tonight. If I was capping this game I'd have had it at +14 Dragons.

Recommendation Bristol -6 @ Sporting Odds


Sale should also beat the cap but I have to honestly state that the rest of the matches are to close to call - Ospreys at -14 is tempting as is Ulster +4 away at Scarlets but again it's very tight.