European Champions Cup predictions & rugby betting tips: La Rochelle set for double-digit success

Where to watch 

All matches are live on Premier Sports

Match prediction & best bets

Bulls -5 on second-half handicap
2pts 10-11 Hills

La Rochelle to beat Bristol by 11 to 20 points
1pt 3-1 bet365

Match previews 

Bulls vs Northampton
Premier Sports 2, 1pm Saturday

Northampton beat a second-strong Bulls side 59-22 at home in last season's quarter-final but they are ten-point underdogs for Saturday's rematch in Pretoria.

The Saints opened their European campaign with a big home win over Castres but they have not won on the road in the Premiership this season and, as well as the effects of altitude at Loftus Versfeld, they face a forecast that combines rain with temperatures of 30C.

The Bulls came up short at Saracens last week but they have a powerful pack and they won eight of their nine home matches in the United Rugby Championship last season as well as both of their European home games.

Ulster vs Bordeaux
Premier Sports 2, 3.15pm Saturday

Bordeaux are riding high in the Top 14 and opened their Champions Cup campaign with a bonus-point win over Leicester.

Ulster, meanwhile, were hammered at Toulouse but they have a reputation as being a tough nut to crack at home and they did see off Racing 92 at the Kingspan last season. In addition, their one defeat in four home URC matches this term came against Leinster.

Leicester vs Sharks
Premier Sports 2, 5.30pm Saturday

The Sharks, last season's European Challenge Cup winners, stand out as one of the strongest sides in the Champions Cup, but they travel to Leicester on Saturday without a host of international stars and are rated 13-point underdogs.

Forwards Eben Etzebeth and Vincent Koch plus centre Lukhanyo Am are injured while there's no Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Siya Kolisi or Makazole Mapimpi in the Sharks' squad either.

Leicester were without some big names at Bordeaux last week but still ran in four tries and their last four matches have featured a total of 35 tries.

The Sharks are clearly missing some big guns but there may be a feeling that any bonus points would be worth gunning for and this could turn into an open and high-scoring contest.

Leinster vs Clermont
Premier Sports 1, 5.30pm Saturday

Leinster were their usual clinical selves in victory at Bristol last week and are asked to give up a handicap in the 20s for the visit of Clermont.

The French side were easy 28-0 winners over Benetton in their opening match and are third in the Top 14, although all four of their defeats this season have come on the road and by a double-figure margin.

La Rochelle vs Bristol
Premier Sports 1, 8pm Saturday

Two-time European champions La Rochelle have put themselves in a strong position with an away win over Bath under their belts.

They are 19-point favourites against a Bristol side who had no answer to the attacking threat of Leinster in a 35-12 home defeat last week.

Bristol have been free-scoring in the Premiership this season but this is another tough European encounter and a comfortable home win looks to be on the cards.

Harlequins vs Stormers
Premier Sports 2, 8pm Saturday

Both of these teams opened with defeats in round one as the Stormers were surprisingly picked off at home by Toulon.

The South African side have made wholesale changes for this trip to the Stoop and bookmakers have set their line around the 20-point mark in favour of Quins.

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