Gloucester Rugby vs Castres Olympique Prediction & Betting Tips - Challenge Cup

Prediction published on 04/04/2024, 12:00  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 04/04/2024 at 15:25 in Challenge Cup Predictions

The European Rugby Challenge Cup begins its knockout stages this weekend. First up we have English Premiership side Gloucester who hosting Castres Olympiique from Top 14 on Friday. The winners of this last 16 match will face either Ospreys or Sale Sharks in the quarter finals. Gloucester are the second seeds in the knockout stages with their opponents in 15th position. Gloucester are ninth in the English Premiership with only Newcastle Falcons below them. They are 11 points behind the final place that takes a side into next season's European Rugby Champions Cup. They had won two league games in a row before last weekend's 33-24 home loss to Bristol. The home side won all four of their matches as they topped Pool C in this competition by two points from Clermont. Wins came at Black Lion and Edinburgh with home victories over Clermont and Castres. Now the two sides meet again and Gloucester will look to repeat the comfortable 35-5 win they had in January.

Castres only finished fourth in Pool C, seven points behind Gloucester. The French side are struggling for form at present and are eighth in Top 14. They are only four points behind the final play-off position but their current form is a major problem. Each of their last four league fixtures have ended in defeat with over 30 points conceded in three of them. Their most recent match saw them lose 43-12 at USA Perpignan, their third successive away loss. In the pool stages, Castres won both of their home games but lost to Gloucester and Edinburgh. We tip Gloucester to win and cover a -10 points handicap.