Currie Cup, Champions Cup, Challenge Cup + other rugby 17-20 Dec

Caps out in Europe for Champions Cup:

Scarlets -1 v Toulon
Wasps -16 v Montpellier
Glasgow +4 v Lyon
Leinster -42 v Northampton
Gloucester +5 v Ulster (+9 with Betfair)
La Rochelle-16 v Bath
Clermont -8 v Munster
Sale -7 v Edinburgh
Quins +8 v Racing
Toulouse -3 v Exeter
Connacht +1 v Bristol

Managed to snare some Racing -6 before it shifted

Also like Toulon plus, Clermont minus and Bristol win

Team news a huge factor in Champions Cup, couple of thoughts my side:

Chiefs +3.5 at 9/10

Tough to go against the Champions of Europe. Don't concede many points even against a high flying Toulouse. Game of the weekend - hope both teams go strength vs strength. Rob Baxter a genius of the North.

Munster +10.5

No real injury concerns for Munster and feel that they will take their strongest outfit to Clermont. Clermont are electric on attack but ominous conditions has me siding with the Irish here.

Bristol to beat Connacht

This is team news depending and I will take this strike at 2pm on Friday afternoon after teams get released. Although they lost at home last week, I fancy Bristol (with Earl, Mullins, Sheedy and co) to cover a choice game. Connacht been very impressive but feel as if they may struggle against the faster Bristol game. A little bit of rain predicted so may keep a close eye on conditions before firing.

Gloucester +9.5 at 8/10

Some interesting transfer news that Danny Cipriani has left the club with immediate effect but this cap feels 4/5 points too generous to the travelling Ulster side that traditionally struggles on the road. Rumours have it that Marcel Coetzee may be out for the Belfast out which would be a huge loss. I capped this around the 4.5 mark so happy to side with the plus especially after Gloucester suffered a Champions Cup record defeat.

Scarlets board at 8/10

Feel as if this will be against the grain but fancy Scarlets to cap off their Bath heroics again this weekend. Toulon are poor on the road and I think they will fall victim against the whistle of the ref and the boot of Halfpenny. Can't see Scarlets rotating as they have a crack at the playoffs so I see a low scoring affair with home side to edge it.

Harlequins +9.5

Quins remind me of the 'Canes in SH rugby. Strong in the dry but suffer in the wet on the road.
Conditions looking clear for the game at the Stoop and with the high tempo game the Quins play, I struggle to see Racing covering a near double digit spread. French sides don't enjoy Champions Cup road games and I feel as if this a couple of points too favourable to the away side.

Once again, team news of paramount importance and this is based on educated speculation.

Toulouse v Exeter cancelled (Exeter positive Covid tests) and,
Glasgow v Lyon cancelled (Glasgow players isolating)

Does anyone know why bookies aren't pricing Bordeaux v Dragons ?
There's nothing in the news, just an absence of a price..

Kirky wrote: Does anyone know why bookies aren't pricing Bordeaux v Dragons ?
There's nothing in the news, just an absence of a price..

Pretty sure its due to the Covid situation at the Dragons.

As well as the Covid absentees, they've also got a lengthy injury list too:

www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/18945494...ash-bordeaux-begles/

Books have priced up here today, they have Bordeaux -32

I'm not sure if that will be enough.....but I'm going to await lineups

Edit: Just heard Dragons have another 2 positive cases today, so 2 further players out

I am going on Pumas + and also few coins on a straight win. Cheetahs are collapsing with players leaving every week, Schoeman and Jaer have dropped, Steyn will play at 10, I almost believe Pumas pack will now be stronger than Cheetahs.

Thanks TOS for the Champions cup preview - very informative.

From our side, we like a few plus plays this weekend.

We have struck on Montpellier +16.5 vs wasps. Wasps missing a few players and this handicap has come in a lot since teams but 15.5 is available at Vegas bets at time of writing.

We also like Bath +15.5 and Munster +10.5 but will probably wait on teams before confirming.

On board with Montpellier plus, best I could find +15.5.
Wasps much poorer team without Launchbury & J Willis

Took Toulon +2 yesterday, which has shifted a fair bit too

After a bit of team news my Champions Cup plays so far:

Montpellier +16.5 at 9/10 and +9.5 at 18/10

No play on Scarlets - Toulon.

La Rochelle vs Bath cancelled !

I can hear the Bath management discussion: "Chaps, La Rochelle are going to slaughter us over there. How can we slink out of this without showing we're chickens ? Any ideas ?"
"Hey boss, what about we say a bunch of our chaps, maybe we can get as many as 12, were in contact with that Scarlets' fellow who tested positive for bat-flu last week ?"
"What a jolly good idea Arthur, we can even save the cost of travelling to France AND not get a bloody good hiding in the bargain. Tally-ho chaps, let's all go down to the local for a pint..."

Grrrr...

And let it not be said that I'm a cynic

On team news have taken some Saints +42

Stronger than expected side named, though will still be a nervous one all the way to 80 mins I feel.....

This pumas flyhalf looks like he’s never kicked a ball off a tee in his entire life.

Willie Engelbrecht is a penalty machine. Never seen a player give away so many penalties in my lifetime.

Pumas are going to lose this by 25

CLrugby wrote: I am going on Pumas + and also few coins on a straight win. Cheetahs are collapsing with players leaving every week, Schoeman and Jaer have dropped, Steyn will play at 10, I almost believe Pumas pack will now be stronger than Cheetahs.

I must tell you CL that The Vann's Christmas was riding on this match. When that clock ran past 80min you were in danger of collecting several extra guests to fight over the turkey. Well done young man

Thank you for Pumas+ happy end ^^

Thanks Rasta. How that was a pumas penalty was a mystery

Have backed over 40.5 points in the wasps v Montpellier game.

4 missed kicks in 20 minutes. That’s 11 points missed.

What a garbage game this is. Absolute stinking garbage.

Have backed over 40.5 points in the wasps v Montpellier game.

4 missed kicks in 20 minutes. That’s 11 points missed.

What a garbage game this is. Absolute stinking garbage.

Montpellier +17.5 at half time (12-7 to Wasps).

I took some @1.80.

Quill wrote: Montpellier +17.5 at half time (12-7 to Wasps).

I took some @1.80.

Joined u Quill

Andrew Brace is an embarrassment.

4 mins to reset one scrum. 4 mins.

And now we’re having lectures before each scrum.

Between 50 - 60 mins, we had two scrums. Reset 7 times. Time to laugh off rugby and focus on league and NFL.

And another 3 min reset scrum. This is a joke.

I’ve needed 1 point in 20 mins. Now 1 point in 9 minutes. Andrew Brace is a disgrace. Clueless.

I will humbly and without any hesitation fall onto my sword after that last minute try that eradicated in one foul swoop in the dying seconds my plus 17.5 and the k@$7 couldn’t miss the conversion . As Brent would say .... put a fork in me I’m done .

Quill wrote: Montpellier +17.5 at half time (12-7 to Wasps).

I took some @1.80.

No points lines from what I’ve seen for lions sharks. Am looking for overs, feel this will be a fast paced game with Peyper helping. Sharks away from stifling Durban humidity should help their fast hands approach.

Expecting something around 52.5 and will be on or possibly Sharks line if around 25.

For the first games today

Leinster vs Saints :
Over 55,5 @ 1.91
Leinster Race 45 @ 1.85

Gloucester vs Ulster:
Over 5,5 tries @ 1.66

Also Leinster v Northampton
10 minute betting market at Bet365
Over 0.5 penalties scored is 9/2
Also Over 0.5pts for Northampton is 6/1
Worth a flutter at those odds

The bookies should include a line:

Will the game actually be played ? Yes/No - even money

The Saints have named a fairly strong team too, although they lost Dan Biggar to injury, big blow to them. They do have however a number of experienced internationals and they should be good enough to put some points on the board, maybe via a couple of tries.

Bet 1: Leinster over 44.5 points @1.83
Bet 2: Total over 54.5 points @1.89
Bet 3: Northampton over 10.5 points @1.88

Over 50.5 lions sharks @ 0.87

Warriors vs Ospreys : over 43.5 @ 1.84

Sale Sharks vs Edinburgh: On paper these two teams look very evenly matched. Edinburgh, in my opinion, have the better starting forward pack and should dominate at scrum time, while Sale a marginally better backline. I do expect a tightly contested match, and will play around the the following:

Half time result: Edinburgh +3.5 @ 9/10
Winning Margin: Sale by 1 - 12 @ 5/4
Total Points: Under 41.5 @ 9/10

I’ve broken the fundamental rules of betting.
Never back the overs in a sharks game. That applies to Sale, Natal and Cronulla.
Never follow Brent Graham on his bet. Always oppose. (JK).
If we don’t get to 51 Points, I’m going to fkn lose it

Chiefie wrote: I’ve broken the fundamental rules of betting.
Never back the overs in a sharks game. That applies to Sale, Natal and Cronulla.
Never follow Brent Graham on his bet. Always oppose. (JK).
If we don’t get to 51 Points, I’m going to fkn lose it

Would prefer it if you just got upset/pissed off at your own bets. No need to slag off a fellow punter.

It’s a joke Vann. A joke.

You see the (JK) - that means just kidding.

Don’t take your overs sharks bet frustration out on me.

Nohambas service is bordering on Cameron Wright levels here. Slow, inconsistent and sloppy. Don’t mentio him being anywhere near being Bok ready.

Jaco peyper has no clue what’s going on at the maul. Players entering from the side. Collapsing. Changing binds. PLAY ON. What a joke

Chiefie wrote: It’s a joke Vann. A joke.

You see the (JK) - that means just kidding.

Don’t take your overs sharks bet frustration out on me.

Nohambas service is bordering on Cameron Wright levels here. Slow, inconsistent and sloppy. Don’t mentio him being anywhere near being Bok ready.

Jaco peyper has no clue what’s going on at the maul. Players entering from the side. Collapsing. Changing binds. PLAY ON. What a joke

Extensive and unending apologies Chiefie - Only bet running at the moment is large on Everton over 1.5 match goals @ 13/10. Landed before half time if you are interested.

I’ve heard they are still playing at Ellis park. And no further points scored.

Received a notification from my Excel spreadsheet that it has no more red ink left to mark off my losing bets.
Drums full of green ink, but I never get to use it.

If my bookie accounts had anything left in them (not gonna replenish them), I would try a strategy of picking a loser, then betting on them.
If I'd been doing that since kung-flu started, I'd be a millionaire now

Quins v Racing today.
Firing in to over 46.5 points.
Afternoon game at the stoop, Quins rolling nicely and the french lack of fitness in the last 20 should see some tries being scored.
Would expect there to be at least 50-55 points in the game.
Good luck everyone. And remember. The sharks are kak

Some funny chirps there lads , after falling onto my sword on Friday night I somehow pulled myself together to make a comeback yesterday , similar to Gloucesters and even more Munster's heroics !!

My best of the day is probably Quin's plus 5.5 although to be fair I think the over 45.5 in the Connacht game is golden, the referee is a clown called Mike Adamson. Must be the worse referee since old Tapa Henning was on the scene and Carl Spannenberg were plying their trades , Adamson misses everything !!! Which could at times go against points but overall he is a points machine.

Lastly conditions very good in London today , London irish should benefit from that today and there should be plenty of points , I feel this will encourage the Frogs and as a result Pau plus 21.5 is my play .