The 2023 European Rugby Champions Cup takes place in Dublin this Saturday. Contesting the match this year are the same two teams who played in last year’s match, Leinster and La Rochelle. The French team were victorious 12 months ago. Can they do it again? Let's attempt to answer that question in our latest rugby union betting picks.
- What; 2023 European Rugby Champions Cup
- Who; Leinster vs La Rochelle
- Where; Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
- When; Saturday, May 20th, 2023
- Start Time; 11.45 pm ET
Yes, it's the same two teams as last year competing for the European Champions Cup. And just like 12 months ago, Leinster are the overwhelming favorites to win.
But things didn't go according to plan for Leo Cullen and his Leinster team in last year’s match. The Irish provincial side lost to Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle in the final, thanks to a last-gasp try from Arthur Retière. And it’s fair to say they celebrated the win with as much style as they performed out on the field of play.
Simply astonishing 🙌
Over 35,000 people took to the streets to celebrate in La Rochelle, a city of just 77,000 👏#HeinekenChampionsCup | @staderochelais | 📸 @sudouest pic.twitter.com/CUOkqidStB
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 30, 2022
But there's one major difference between last year's final and this year's, and that's the venue. 12 months ago, the final was played at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. This year it's at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which means it’s effectively a home match for Leinster.
And if any further incentive were needed for Leo Cullen and Leinster, their opponents head coach is Irish legend Ronan O’Gara. For anybody not in the know, O’Gara is a Munster man, and Munster are one of Leinster’s biggest rivals in Rugby. So putting one over O’Gara is something anybody associated with Leinster would gladly do.
Route to the Final
In the initial group stage both Leinster and Rochelle topped their respective pools with 100% records. Leinster were the standout side though. They picked up four bonus points from their four wins, compared to La Rochelle who only claimed two.
And to further underline just how dominant Leinster were, the Irish side had a huge points difference of 150 in the group stages, the only side to top 100. La Rochelle’s points difference was 63. Not bad. But nowhere near Leinster’s.
After the group stages, the competition went straight into the last eight. In their quarter-final, Leinster defeated Leicester 55-24, and in their semi-final, they beat Toulouse 41-22.
As for La Rochelle, they pulled off a magnificent 24-10 win over Saracens in their quarter-final. And in their semi-final, they defeated Exeter 47-28. They seem to have enjoyed playing against the English Premiership teams.
2023 European Champions Cup Betting.
The top online rugby betting sites are expecting a win for Leo Cullen and Leinster. On the moneyline, Leinster are -350 to win, with La Rochelle priced at +275 to repeat last year’s success.
Moving onto the handicap spread, and the top online sportsbooks are giving the French side a +9.5 points start. Both Leinster (-9.5) and La Rochelle (+9.5) are -110 in this market.
Our odds table below has the latest betting on the match with odds taken from the best online rugby betting sites. You can read more about these sites on our sportsbook reviews page, and to find out more about their new customer offers, you will want to check out our betting bonuses and promotions page.
| 2023 European Rugby Champions Cup |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leinster | -350 | -350 | -350 |
| La Rochelle | +275 | +275 | +275 |
| Leinster (-9.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| La Rochelle (+9.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Our Pick to win the Champions Cup
This is the first time in history that the same two teams have played each other two year’s running in the Champions Cup.
WE HAVE AN INSTANT REPEAT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER 🤩
Revenge for @leinsterrugby or a double in Dublin for @staderochelais?#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/0Qo2Oxau4h
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 30, 2023
And like the above Tweet says, revenge for Leinster, and that’s exactly what we think is going to happen. We don’t think odds of -350 on Leinster to win is that bad, and we are happy to back them to win at those odds.
But putting the 80 minutes moneyline betting aside, Leinster are also -350 to lift the trophy. If you’re going to back them to win, you may as well back them to lift the trophy, as it covers you if the match goes to extra-time.
Will Leinster cover the spread?
Now, moving on, and do we see Leinster covering the spread is the next question? They are giving La Rochelle 9.5 points, and that is a total that amounts to a converted try and a penalty.
When Leinster win, they tend to win big. In their Champions Cup quarter-final against Leicester Tigers, they won 55-24, and in their semi-final, they defeated Toulouse by 19 points (41-22). So in short, if Leinster are going to win, the chances are they will win well.
Leinster will feel they owe the French team a good beating after last year. They won’t want to lead by just one score heading into the dying stages. That’s exactly what happened last year, and they couldn’t see the match out.
They will want insurance this time around, and we think when they get in front, they will go for the kill. So when it comes to covering the spread, we’re backing Leinster to do it.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
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