Clermont vs Union Bordeaux Begles Prediction & Betting Tips - Top 14

Prediction published on 28/12/2023, 13:50  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 28/12/2023 at 16:26 in Rugby Predictions

Clermont Auvergne will face off against the Bordeaux Begles in round 11 of the Top 14 on Friday night. The hosts are currently in eighth place in the league standings, while the visitors are fourth. Clermont will head into this match following a 22-11 loss to Pau. That result followed a 28-17 defeat by Gloucester in the EPCR Challenge Cup a week earlier. In that competition, Clermont are in fourth place in Pool 3, part of a four-way tie with each side currently on five points apiece. They now return to Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin, where they claimed a hard-fought 23-18 win over league leaders Racing 92 in this competition at the start of the month. The hosts have been very good at home this year, losing just one of their last 11 home games, which was against Toulon last month. The last time these sides met at this venue, the match ended level at 23 each, but the hosts are the favourites at the books in this one. 

Meanwhile, Bordeaux secured a resounding 46-10 win over Lyon at home last week, marking their sixth victory in this competition and leaving them on 28 points, which includes four bonus points. However, it is not just in this competition that they have been doing well. The Begles sit atop Pool 1 in the European Rugby Champions Cup, with ten points after the first two matches, having secured bonus points in both. Those wins came over Connacht and Bristol Bears, and following last week’s victory, they are now carrying a five-match winning streak heading into this match. The last time they were beaten was by La Rochelle 25-21 in mid-November. However, while they did win their last two away games, Bordeaux had lost the five leading up to then. The visitors have won four of their last six matches against this opponent but failed to win either match at this venue last season.