Lyon Olympique Universitaire Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Preview
Rugby is back this weekend, and Lyon vs Connacht Rugby is looking like an important game for both sides. As we enter round three of the European Rugby Champions Cup, Connacht is searching for their first victory. Lyon sits second in pool three, three points behind the leaders and rival French side Bordeaux. The match on January 13th at 1:00 pm hangs in the balance. Who will come out on top this weekend?
The teams face off in Lyon at the Matmut Stadium, a new venue which has proven to be a tough place for visiting outfits. Connacht hopes their bad run has ended with a decisive victory over Munster on New Year’s Day. Before that, the Irish side was on a five-game losing streak, including both ERCC matches. Lyon Olympique Universitaire has looked strong in the competition this year, but will their good run continue this weekend?
Lyon Olympique Universitaire Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Usually, when we do the research for rugby betting predictions, we look at the head-to-head results between the two sides. However, this match will be the first time that Lyon vs Connacht takes place. As a bettor, that means we are entering uncharted waters. To help you stay on the front foot this weekend, we will examine the performances of both sides this season.
Lyon started better in the ERCC this season, but their league form has been abysmal. Looking at the most recent match against Toulouse, Lyon was on the receiving end of a humiliating scoreline. The match finished 45-0 in favour of the home side, sending Lyon to 13th in the division. That leaves the French side with the worst points difference in the entire Top 14 division. If you include the two matches played in the cup competition, Lyon has three victories in the past ten matches.
Lyon’s last ERCC match was at home against the Bulls. The match was incredibly close, but the French side narrowly won by one point in a game that finished 29-28. The Bulls opened the scoring with a try inside the first two minutes from Burger. With 23 minutes on the clock, Lyon got their first points of the day thanks to a score from Dumortier. Petersen extended the visitor’s advantage with another try before the home side clawed one back just before halftime. At the break, the Bulls had the advantage, 12-18.
Lyon responded well in the second half, scoring three tries. The Bulls scored ten points in the second period, but the 17 from the home side was enough to secure the victory. Lyon’s three most recent victories have all come at home, which spells trouble for Connacht, who make the trip this weekend. Anything can happen in rugby union matches, but neither side enters the third round of the cup competition in excellent form.
Before the match on New Year’s Day, Connacht was on a five-game losing streak. That includes defeats to the Saracens and Bordeaux in the ERCC a month ago. The Irish side ended the streak by defeating local rivals Munster at home, 22-9. The match was quite low-scoring as there was only one try registered for the entire match. It took 17 minutes for Connacht to break the deadlock, thanks to a JJ Hanrahan penalty. Munster scored two penalties of their own before halftime, and a yellow card to Byron Ralston just before the break seemed to tip the scales in favour of the visitors. However, Connacht dominated the rest of the game, scoring 19 points in the second half compared to Munster’s three.
Connacht’s last cup game against the Saracens went the way many expected. With the score finishing 55-36, it’s clear they broke the Irish defence on multiple occasions. However, with half an hour played, it was the visitors who had the advantage, leading 8-17 with two tries. Even though they let the lead slip before the break, there were only four points between the two after 40 minutes. The visitors started the second half slowly, and a yellow card to Cian Prendergast saw the home side run riot. Before Itoje picked up a yellow on the hour mark, Saracens led 43-17. The final 20 minutes were better for Connacht, but they completely fell apart at vital points during the game.
Both sides enter the ERCC in poor form, with Lyon picking up three wins in ten and Connacht not faring much better. The Irish side has managed four in all competitions in the same number of games. Betting on the home side could be the smarter move to this fixture, as Lyon’s recent victories have come at the Matmut Stadium.
Lyon Olympique Universitaire Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Predictions
Examining the odds at various major sports betting sites, Lyon is the clear favourite this weekend. With odds of 4/11, a €10 wager for the French side to win the match would return €13.64 if successful. The Irish visitors have odds of 2/1, which is a lot higher than most underdogs in ERCC matches. Any bet on the away side will return two times more than your wager, plus the value of your stake. A draw always seems unlikely when betting on rugby union matches. This week, the odds are 20/1.
Our prediction for Lyon Olympique Universitaire vs Connacht Rugby is for the home side to win. We don’t think it will be a huge point-scoring match, and we think five to ten points will separate the two clubs at the final whistle. The last time Connacht played a French side, they hosted Bordeaux in a humiliating home defeat of 5-41. It seems unlikely that Connacht will get a result in France this weekend.
Lyon has faced Bordeaux since the last round of ERCC fixtures. They were also on the receiving end of a blistering defeat. This time it finished 46-10. This is not the first poor Lyon performance recently, having lost 45-0 last weekend. The only saving grace for the French side is both embarrassing defeats came on the road. Lyon’s last two home games saw an impressive display against the Bulls and a much-needed victory against league rivals Montpellier.
Connacht is having a season to forget, which is a shock given how strongly the Irish side started. Since defeating the Sharks on the road, Connacht has lost five games, including two home matches against Leinster and Bordeaux. While they only lost to Leinster by two points, the performance against the French side came as a real shock. Since then, they have been fighting to turn their fortunes around. Especially since they lost by one point when travelling to Ulster and completely outclassed Munster on New Year’s Day. However, a wager on the Irish team feels like a long shot this weekend.
Lyon Olympique Universitaire Rugby vs Connacht Rugby Betting Tips
Betting on the European Rugby Champions Cup is often exciting, as you never know how a group can change over the next few weeks. Connacht now sits at the bottom of the table of ERCC Pool One, and they are the only team without a victory. Plus, with a point difference of -55, the Irish side needs consecutive results to stand a chance of progressing in this competition.
If you are going to bet on this rugby union match, consider the following. Lyon looks the most likely to win, but they have the lowest returns to do so. While placing a small wager on Connacht will see significant returns, the outcome seems very unlikely. However, given the current odds, it could be worthwhile to place live wagers at the event. If the match unfolds as expected, you could bet on Lyon to score a certain number of points or bet on the next try scorer. Most of these markets will have significantly higher returns than the 4/11 outright on the French team.
If you want to bet on the favourite and want larger returns, handicap betting is a fantastic option this weekend. The bookies are offering Lyon to win by eight or more points at 10/11. That means betting on Lyon to win in this market will return €19.09 from a ten-euro stake. While the returns are nowhere near as profitable as a wager on Connacht, they are almost three times greater than betting on the match result.
If you sign up for Novibet this weekend, you will receive a welcome bonus to help you get started. Using your welcome bonus on the underdog this week could be an excellent move. If Connacht performs a miracle and wins, you could be looking at a huge payday. However, if the match goes the way we are all expecting, you only lose your welcome offer, not real money.
https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1744313520945029530
Lyon Olympique Universitaire Rugby Team News and Lineup
Lyon has offered contract extensions to several key players so far this season. Northern Irish fly-half Paddy Jackson signed a new deal to remain at the club until 2026. Four French players also signed new deals, Berdeu, Regard, Gouzou, and Geraci. Beka Saginadze and Josiah Maraku also signed new contracts over the past few months.
Players on their way out of the club at the end of the season include Demba Bamba, Romain Taofifenua, and Joel Kpoku. It also looks like legendary fullback Toby Arnold’s last season playing rugby union.
- Lyon Predicted Lineup: V. Devisme, G. Marchand, D. Bamba, K. Kpoku, M. Guillard, A. Botha, P. Pacheco, M. Gouzou, B. Couilloud, P. Jackson, V. Rattez, K. Godwin, A. Parisien, X. Mignot, and D. Niniashvili.
Connacht Rugby Team News and Lineup
Connacht have struggled with injuries this season, and it does not seem these problems are letting up. Mack Hansen has undergone surgery for a dislocated shoulder with an estimated recovery time of three to four months. Caolin Blade and Cathal Forde are recent additions to the injury list, but they could still appear for the Lyon game.
Santiago Cordero, Paul Boyle, Sean O’Brien, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Colm Reilly, and Tiernan O’Halloran are all unavailable. There is some good news as Oisin McCormack and Sean Jansen have recovered from their injuries and could feature this weekend.
- Connacht Predicted Lineup: P. Dooley, D. Heffernan, J. Aungier, D. Murray, J. Joyce, C. Prenderghast, S. Hurley-Langton, J. Butelr, C. Blade, J. Hanrahan, S. Bolton, B. Aki, T. Farrell, B. Ralston, and J. Porch.
