Investec Champions Cup Predictions – Round of 16

Defending champions Bordeaux Begles and the Glasgow Warriors were the best performers in the pool stages and seek more dominance in the Round of 16, while the four most successful clubs in the competition’s history – Toulouse, Leinster, Saracens and Toulon – are all still involved.

Saturday is D-day for the two South African teams who have qualified for the knockouts of the greatest club rugby competition in the world.

The Stormers are in the south of France for a titanic tussle against star-studded Toulon, while the Bulls are in Glasgow, Scotland, where they will cross swords with the United Rugby Championship-leading Warriors.

Should they stun their hosts, the local pair will set up an all-South African quarter-final showdown in Cape Town next weekend. 

Northampton Saints v Castres

Friday, 3 April – 21:00

The curtain will rise on a spectacular weekend when last season’s runners-up host Castres at Franklin’s Gardens.

Currently top of the PREM, Northampton won three of four pool games, losing only to Bordeaux-Begles, to qualify as fifth seeds. Castres, meanwhile, claimed two wins from four to qualify as 12th seeds.

This will be the third meeting between the two in two seasons, with the latest instalment being last season’s quarter-final. The Saints won all three of those games and will send them packing for a second straight season.

Prediction: Northampton Saints by 22.

Suggested Bet: Northampton Saints -21 at 1.90.

Bath v Saracens

Saturday, 4 April – 16:00

An all-English encounter will open Saturday’s action. 2025 PREM and EPCR Challenge Cup champions Bath topped their pool and qualified as fourth seeds, while three-time European champions Saracens qualified 13th.

Johann van Graan’s men are currently the competition’s second-highest points scorers, thanks largely to Investec Player of the Year (IPOTY) nominee Finn Russell, who amassed an impressive 51 points and 21 conversions during the pool stage.

Bath have another IPOTY nominee in Alfie Barbeary, while Saracens’ Tom Willis is also nominated, thanks to his strong attacking displays. Bath banked a 62-15 win over Saracens in the PREM two weeks ago, and should brush them aside once again.

Prediction: Bath by 20.

Suggested Bet: Bath -15 at 1.90.

Toulon v Stormers

Saturday, 4 April – 16:00

Rugby can be cruel. Just ask the Stormers. Their ‘reward’ for being the top-performing South African side during the pool phase is one of the gravest assignments in all of club rugby.

Toulon are club rugby royalty. The French giants are three-time Champions Cup winners and notoriously tough to beat at their fortress.

The Stormers will take heart from the fact that they were successful on their previous trip to the south of France, when they beat Bayonne 26-17, but tackling Toulon at the intimidating Stade Mayol is a different beast entirely.

It also doesn’t help that Toulon triumphed 24-14 in the only previous meeting between the two teams in the opening round of the 2024-25 Champions Cup in Gqeberha.

Both clubs secured three wins in the pool stages, Toulon qualifying as seventh seeds and looking to go deep after last season’s quarter-final exit, and the Stormers returning to the knockouts for the first time since 2024, having qualified as the 10th seeds.

The Capetonians are outshining their hosts domestically, sitting second in the URC, with Toulon in lowly 11th place in the TOP 14. However, that doesn’t mean what you’d think it does. What it really means is that all of Toulon’s eggs are in the Champions Cup basket, whereas the Stormers are more focused on the URC.

The Stormers have quality and x-factor aplenty, but Toulon have a massive pack, world-class backs, home ground advantage, and they’re all in. Thus, this should be the end of the road for John Dobson’s men.

Prediction: Toulon by 9.

Suggested Bet: Toulon -5 at 1.90.

Glasgow Warriors v Bulls

Saturday, 4 April – 18:30

Perhaps fortunate to be in the last 16 after managing just a solitary win in the pool phase, a 26-24 triumph over Pau in France, the Bulls are playing with house money.

The 15th seeds also have a more favourable matchup than the Stormers, given Glasgow are not a global powerhouse yet, and the fact that they’re more familiar with their foes and Scotstoun than the Stormers are with Toulon and their fortress.

The budding rivals are 3-3 in head-to-head competition, and both have key results to draw from. The Bulls will be buoyed by the fact that they clinched a 26-19 win in Glasgow last year.

The Warriors, meanwhile, won the one that really mattered, stunning the Bulls 21-16 at Loftus in the 2024 URC final, and they beat them 21-12 at home in December.  

With nothing to lose and everything to gain, the men from Pretoria are dangerous and have won seven of their last eight matches in all competitions, including pipping Munster 34-31 last weekend.  

Glasgow are growing into a giant under Franco Smith. They picked up maximum points in the pool stage to qualify as second seeds and top the URC table. Their only loss this year was a 15-10 reverse at Connacht when they were without their Six Nations stars.

Boosted by their returning internationals, including IPOTY nominee Jack Dempsey, a standout performer in both carries and tackles this campaign, and with a track record of playing total rugby this season, Glasgow should get it done.  

Prediction: Glasgow Warriors by 11.

Suggested Bet: Glasgow Warriors -10 at 1.90.

Toulouse v Bristol Bears

Saturday, 4 April – 18:30

Fans will be treated to a first-ever matchup in Toulouse.

The record six-time Champions Cup champions haven’t been their usual dominant selves this campaign, securing just two wins during the pool stage to qualify in eighth position, one above Bristol, who impressed with three pool wins. However, the Bears are limping into this clash as they’re on a six-match losing streak.

Toulouse are loaded with stars, including Antoine Dupont and the competition’s top points-scorer Thomas Ramos. An IPOTY nominee, Ramos has racked up 53 points and was also the top scorer in this year’s Six Nations – where he coolly sealed France’s championship win in the final moments of the last match.

Bank on a comfortable win for the TOP 14 leaders.

Prediction: Toulouse by 28.

Suggested Bet: Toulouse -26 at 1.90.

Harlequins v Sale Sharks

Saturday, 4 April – 21:00

The second English derby will go down at Twickenham Stoop.

The sides haven’t met in the competition since 2009/10, and while Sale won their last domestic encounter 43-17, Harlequins will back their home ground advantage.

Quins, who qualified sixth, lead the tournament in points scored (184). But 11th seeds Sale, with key internationals such as George Ford, Tom Roebuck, and Luke Cowan-Dickie back, will look to build on their domestic win over “The Entertainers” earlier this season.

This one is tough to call. Quins are the favourites, given they have home-ground advantage. However, they’ve lost three of their last four games in their backyard, so the Sharks are high-value underdogs.

Prediction: Sale Sharks by 2.

Suggested Bet: Sale Sharks at 2.20.

Bordeaux-Begles v Leicester Tigers

Sunday, 5 April – 16:00

Reigning champions and top seeds Bordeaux-Begles have looked unstoppable in this campaign. On the other end of the spectrum, the Leicester Tigers scratched and clawed their way to the last qualifying spot.

Bordeaux lead the competition in tries, powered by scoring sensation and IPOTY nominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey. They also have a world-class playmaker in Matthieu Jalibert, who’s another IPOTY nominee and coming off a stellar Six Nations campaign.

This one will be one-way traffic, with the defending champions marching on.

Prediction: Bordeaux-Begles by 35.

Suggested Bet: Bordeaux-Begles -25 at 1.90.

Leinster v Edinburgh

Sunday, 5 April – 18:30

The Round of 16 concludes in Dublin, where Leinster are the overwhelming favourites.

Chasing a fifth star, Leinster topped their pool with four wins from four, led by captain and IPOTY nominee Caelan Doris. Edinburgh qualified 11 places below the Irish giants in 14th and return to the knockouts for the first time since 2022/23.

The Scots won’t be going any further, though, as Leinster are set to storm into the quarter-finals.

Prediction: Leinster by 25.

Suggested Bet: Check markets for Leinster to cover a 20-something spread.