Champions Cup final betting tips: All-French affair at Twickenham
Preview and odds for Saturday’s match
The 2021 Heineken Champions Cup final is an all-French contest as La Rochelle and Toulouse meet in Saturday’s showpiece at Twickenham.
English clubs have won four of the last five finals but the trophy will be heading over the Channel for the first time since 2015 this weekend.
The match is live on Channel 4 and BT Sport and kicks off at 4.45pm as we highlight a few potential Champions Cup final betting tips.
Champions Cup final match odds
There is a gulf in experience between the two teams at this level and that is reflected in the La Rochelle v Toulouse odds.
Toulouse have already won the competition four times and are the 4/7 favourites to claim a record-breaking fifth European title.
Their most recent success was in 2010 when they beat Biarritz 21-19 in another all-French match but they have failed to reach the final since then.
La Rochelle, in contrast, had never made it past the quarter-finals before this season and are 11/8 to seize the opportunity to clinch the silverware.
Head coach Ronan O’Gara knows all about the big occasions, though, and the way they beat four-time champions Leinster 32-23 in the semi-final should fill them with confidence, having already got past the likes of Edinburgh, Gloucester and Sale.
Toulouse beat Irish sides Ulster and Munster to reach the quarter-finals and then overcame French rivals Clermont Auvergne and Bordeaux to secure their trip to Twickenham.
La Rochelle v Toulouse head-to-head
These are the top two teams in France this season with Toulouse leading the way in the Top 14 but La Rochelle are only a point behind despite losing both meetings with their title rivals.
Toulouse were 39-23 winners at home in September but February’s return fixture was a much closer affair as La Rochelle suffered a 14-11 defeat.
La Rochelle are receiving three points on the handicap this weekend or can be backed at 5/6 with 3.5 points.
Key battles
The biggest threat for Toulouse is Antoine Dupont, who is the joint-leading try scorer in this season’s competition with four in four matches.
La Rochelle’s Gregory Alldritt has managed 59 carries – the most in the competition – but former Australia international Will Skelton was the star man against Leinster.
Having left Saracens following their relegation to the Championship, Skelton has thrived in France and was too hot for Leinster to handle. His 11 carries for 42 metres often had the Irish side on the back foot while he also chipped in with a try and nine tackles.
View the latest Champions Cup final odds
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
