Edinburgh Rugby vs Aviron Bayonne Prediction & Betting Tips - Challenge Cup

Prediction published on 05/04/2024, 10:45  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 06/04/2024 at 05:52 in Challenge Cup Predictions

Edinburgh will play host to Bayonne in the round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup on Saturday afternoon. Edinburgh finds themselves in the ninth position in the URC standings, and after a winless stint in South Africa, where they suffered defeats against DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks, Sean Everitt will be looking forward to the comfort of home turf. Despite only finishing third in Pool 3 of this tournament with two wins and two losses in their four games, Edinburgh managed to secure three bonus points along the way. However, they are in dire need of a sharper and more clinical approach to their gameplay if they aspire to intend to the quarter-finals, having last done so in 2015 when they went on to the end as runners-up. To bolster their efforts, Edinburgh Rugby will welcome back Grant Gilchrist, who was absent from the disappointing trip to South Africa due to personal reasons. With Gilchrist's return alongside Scotland lock co-captains and scrum-half Ben Vellacott, Edinburgh are favoured to come out on top here against a Bayonne side that does not travel particularly well. 

Bayonne presents a challenge as they sit in a precarious position in the TOP 14 (10th), yet managed to pull off an upset against La Rochelle with a narrow 13-12 victory two weeks ago. Aviron Bayonnais, one of the four teams relegated from the Investec Champions Cup, are in dire need of a change in fortune as they head to Edinburgh. They enter the clash without a single win in their last six away matches across all competitions, with their last victory on the road dating back to December. In the Champions Cup, Bayonne struggled, finishing second-bottom in Pool 3, trailing behind Munster, Glasgow, Exeter, and group winners Northampton. Their recent defeat at home against Toulon further underscores their challenges, highlighting their inability to secure a win on the road since November 2022, although they did manage a draw against Munster in the Champions Cup back in December. Owing in large to their poor away form, the visitors are the underdogs in this one.