European Rugby Champions Cup Semifinals Betting: Leinster & Racing to book tickets to Marseille final

Rugby fans have plenty to entertain them this weekend, as the European Rugby Champions Cup semifinals will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, Irish side Leinster will welcome French side–and reigning European champions–Toulouse to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in the first semi. Then on Sunday, Racing 92 will host La Rochelle, last year’s losing finalists, in an all-French semifinal.

European Rugby Champions Cup Semifinal #1: Leinster vs. Toulouse Betting Odds and Matchup Information

• Leinster booked their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought 23-14 win over Leicester Tigers in the quarter-finals.
• Toulouse made it this far thanks to a fascinating, thrill-a-minute 28-26 victory over Munster in a match that will live long in the memory.
• Despite both teams impressing in the previous round, it’s Leinster that caught the eye of bookmakers who make the Dubliners red hot favourites to make the final.
• Venue & Location: Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland)
• Kick-Off Time: 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (3:00 p.m. local time)
• How to Watch Leinster vs. Toulouse in the U.S.: Peacock Premium (subscription)

Leinster vs. Toulouse European Rugby Champions Cup Odds

Moneyline

• Leinster to win -390
• Draw +2200
• Toulouse to win +340

Spread

• Leinster -10.5 (-104)
• Toulouse +10.5 (-118)

Back a fast start and a win for the hosts

Despite this being a semi-final match and a shoot-out to reach the European Champions Cup that will be played on Saturday, May 28, Leinster are the home team. They enjoy that advantage thanks to finishing higher than their opponents in the group stage of the tournament.

In what looks to be a 50/50 match-up on paper, hosting the game and having the backing of a capacity crowd at the impressive Aviva Stadium will make all the difference. But the visitors are no strangers to this venue, having beaten Munster here in the quarters after a nail-biting penalty shootout that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

The pride of Ireland made a fast start when scoring an away win over the Leicester Tigers last time, racing into a 20-0 lead by halftime before holding on to win 23-14. They had captain Jonathan Sexton to thank, with the kicker scoring two conversions and a pair of penalties.

More of the same will be required, with the home team aiming to get their noses in front early, feeding off the enthusiasm of the crowd. Look for the hosts to grab an early advantage and ride that start to victory.

Leinster vs. Toulouse Betting Tip – Leinster to score first, lead at halftime, and win (+100 at BetOnline)

European Rugby Champions Cup Semifinal #2: Racing 92 vs. La Rochelle Betting Odds and Matchup Information

• Racing 92 enjoyed a comfortable win over Sale in their previous Champions Cup outing, easing to a 41-22 home victory.
• La Rochelle had no problems securing their spot in the semi-finals when running over the top of Montpellier, winning 31-19 at home.
• Racing 92 may have beaten the Sharks, but they trailed at half-time, needing to dig deep in the second period.
• Venue & Location: Stade Bollaert-Delelis (Lens, France)
• Kick-Off Time: 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (4:00 p.m. local time)
• How to Watch Racing 92 vs. La Rochelle in the U.S.: Peacock Premium (subscription)

Racing 92 vs. La Rochelle European Rugby Champions Cup Odds

Moneyline

• Racing 92 to win -115
• Draw +1600
• La Rochelle +110

Spread

• Racing 92 -1.5 (-104)
• La Rochelle +1.5 (-118)

Flying Finn to the rescue

Scotland international Finn Russell made the difference in that win over English side Sale, bagging his first try of the year to break the resistance of a stubborn opponent in what was a physical match. Juan Imhoff also played his part, scoring a try to move him into fourth place in the tournament’s leading scorers, and he’ll be hungry for more.

Imhoff was one of four try scorers for Racing 92 that day, and he is worth a look in the betting to get amongst the scorers again in this crucial semi-final match. Followers of the home side will hope their all-action star will pick up where he left off, and it may be worth a bet at small stakes on Imhoff to score the first try or get one at any time during the match.

With the betting as close as you’re likely to find at this stage of the play, the value is in backing Racing 92 for victory.

The handicap is tight

The handicap lines also support a close contest with Racing 92 starting with a one point deficit. We considered backing La Rochelle if they had been given a strong start on the handicap, but the traders are keeping things close to their chest.

This will be a battle of bodies and minds, but with Racing 92 picked to win, we have no trouble suggesting a play on them -1 point on the handicap at -105 if you’re looking for a little extra. For us, it’s a bit more of a risk for not a lot of a reward, so we’ll stick with Racing 92 to win.

Racing 92 vs. La Rochelle Betting Tip – Racing 92 to win (-110 at BetOnline)

European Rugby Champions Cup outright betting

Rugby fans and lovers of sports betting can wager on this weekend’s matches or look ahead to the final. The earlier you bet on the outright winner of the cup, the better odds you will receive.

Odds to Win the 2022 European Rugby Champions Cup

Odds via BetOnline.

• Leinster -125
• Racing 92 +300
• La Rochelle +430
• Toulouse +650

Toulouse are the tournament’s most successful club, having won their fifth title in 2021. But they have Leinster breathing down their necks, with the Irish outfit currently on four wins. We expect that to become five by the end of this month.

Leinster haven’t taken home the trophy since 2018 and lost the final 12 months later, but there’s a touch of magic about this team. It’s our advice that you should act early and back them outright, as when they beat Toulouse, their odds will drastically shorten.

Before the semi-finals, you can back Leinster at -125 to win the trophy. That quote makes them the favourites, which adds weight to our claims as the bookies can’t see them losing this semi-final or the final.